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ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


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LANGUAGE  WORK   IN 
ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


BY 
M.  A.  LEIPER 

TVESTEKX  KENTUCKY  STATE  KORMAL  SCHOOL. 


GIXX  AND  COMPANY 

BOSTON    •     NEW   YORK    •     CHICAGO     •     LONDON 
ATLANTA    •    DALLAS     •    COLUMBUS    •    SAN   FRANCISCO 


^57^^ 


COPYRIGHT,  1916,  BY  M.  A.  LEIPER 

AiL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 
216.2 


Ctie   gtftenaum   jgtegg 

GINN  AND  COMPANY  •  PRO- 
PRIETORS ■  BOSTON  •  U.S.A. 


LB 
PREFACE 

Tliis  book  is  offered  to  the  educational  public  iii  the  hope 
that  it  may  assist  teachers  in  our  elementary  schools  to  do 
more  effective  language  work.  For  several  years  the  author 
has  taught  classes  in  language  methods  in  a  normal  school, 
and  tliis  book  contains  much  of  the  matter  that  is  pre- 
sented to  these  classes.  Many  excellent  textbooks  in  lan- 
guage are  on  the  market,  but  no  work  that  treats  for  tlie 
teacher's  benefit  all  the  approved  forms  of  oral  and  written 
language  work  for  all  the  eight  grades  has  as  yet  appeared. 
Such  a  work  the  author  intends  this  to  be. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  matter  on  the  following  pages 
the  author  has  not  depended  entirely  on  his  own  experience 
and  investigations.  He  has  had  the  active  assistance  of  the 
supervisor  and  critic  teachers  of  the  trainmg  school  of 
the  Western  Kentucky  State  Normal  School.  The  discus- 
sions of  the  work  in  each  grade  have  been  criticized  by  some 
member  of  this  staff  of  teachers,  and  the  supervisor  has 
read  the  entire  manuscript  and  offered  many  valuable  sug- 
gestions. For  this  service  thanks  are  due  to  ]Miss  Laura 
A.  Frazee,  former  supervisor,  and  jSlisses  Belle  Caffee,  Sue 
Proctor,  Ella  Jeffries,  Lucie  Holman,  Nellie  Birdsong,  Nell 
Moorman,  and  Laura  jNlcKenzie,  critic  teachers.  Thanks 
are  also  due  to  Messrs.  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  Houghton 
Mifflin  Company,  E.  P.  Button  &  Company,  D.  Appleton 
and  Company,  Little,  Brown,  and  Company,  and  David 
McKay  for  permission  to  use  certain  poems,  which  appear 
in  Appendix  B,  as  material  for  memorizing  work. 

M.  A.  LEIPER 
Bowling  Green,  Kentucky 

ill 


CONTEXTS 

PAGE 

ixtroduction 1 

Language  Work  by  Grades 

Grade  One 23 

Grade  Two 55 

Grade  Three 81 

Grade  Four 101 

Grade  Five 125 

Grade  Six 147 

Grade  Seven 169 

Grade  Eight 193 

Language  Work  in  Eukal  Schools 215 

Appendix  A 249 

General  Bibliography 249 

Language-Work  Material 256 

Appendix  B 265 

Memory  Gems 265 

Poems 272 

Appendix  C.  Original  and  Adapted  Dramatizations  313 

Index 329 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Conversation  should  begin  with  Pets  and  Playthings       ...  26 

A  Story  always  holds  the  Attention  of  Children 30 

Little  Boy  Blue 33 

First-Grade  Original  Composition.  Sixth  and  Seventh  Months  35 

Mother  Goose  Play  given  by  First-Grade  Children       ....  37 

Baa,  Baa,  Black  Sheep 38 

A  Scene  from  "Little  Boy  Blue" 41 

Language  Game  to  correct '  Have  Got ' 44 

First-Grade  Copying  Work.    Fifth  Month 46 

First-Grade  Original  Composition  Work.    Eighth  Month    .     .  47 

Hectograph  and  Copying  Work.    Sixth  Month,  First  Grade     .  48 

Little  Boy  Blue 49 

Letter-Card  Sheet 50 

First-Grade  Work  with   Letter  Cards,   correlating  Language 

and  Nature  Study 51 

First-Grade  Work  with   Letter   Cards,  correlating  Language 

and  Nature  Study 52 

Pictures  will  develop  Greater  Interest  in  Conversation  and 

Original  Story  Composition 58 

Second-Grade  Conversation  and  Oral  Exposition 59 

Second-Grade  Stencil  Work 63 

Shoeing  the  Bay  Mare.    (After  Landseer) 64 

This  Little  Fairy  is  Eager  to  tell  the  Wonderful  Things  she 

did  with  her  Wand  in  the  Play 67 

Language  Game  to  correct  *  Have  Got ' 71 

Second-Grade  Original  Comjjosition 74 

Second-Grade  Original   Composition,   Language    and    Nature 

Study  correlated 75 

Reproduced  Story.    Fifth  Month,  Second  Grade 77 

Many  Interesting  Composition  Subjects  Here 85 

Telling    how   to  play  Games  is  a    Good  Way  to  introduce 

Exposition 88 

vii 


viii     LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 

PAGE 

"  Sleeping  Beauty,"  a  Third-Grade  Play 90 

All    the    Characters    in    "  Sleeping    Beauty "    assembled    for 

Picture 91 

Cutting,   Clay   Modeling,    etc.    furnish    Subjects    for    Simple 

Description  and  Exposition 94 

The  Fox  and  the  Grapes 96 

Fourth-Grade  Children  studying  Certain  AVeeds,  Preparatory 

to  Oral  Description  and  Observation  Reports 104 

Fourth-Grade  Oral  Argument 107 

Gymnastic  Games  are  Good  Subjects  for  Exposition  ....  110 
School  Fairs  offer  Excellent  Subjects  for  Narration,  Descrip- 
tion, and  Exposition 113 

A  Day  in  the  Woods  will  produce   jVIany  Descriptions   and 

Expositions 115 

Winter  Scenes  offer  Fine  Subjects  for  Description       ....  119 

Language  should  be  correlated  with  All  School  Activities  .     .  128 

River  Views  offer  Good  Subjects  for  Descriptions 131 

"  Tent  Dwellers  "  —  a  Historical  Play 133 

"RobinHood"  — a  Fifth-Grade  Adapted  Play 135 

Scene  from  "  Robin  Hood  "  at  Rehearsal  of  Play 138 

The  Schoolhouse  and  Grounds  will  be  a  Good  Subject  for 

Written  Description 139 

Outdoor  Games  offer  Good  Subjects  for  Exposition     ....  143 

The  More  Interesting  the  Subject  the  Better  the  Composition  153 
All  School  Activities  should  be  drawn  uj^on  by  the  Language 

Teacher 155 

The  May  Festival 158 

Preparation  for  the  Barbecue  offers  Interesting  Subjects  for 

Compositions 159 

The  Angelus.    (After  Millet) 161 

No  Public  Drinking  Cup  Here 162 

School  Gardens  furnish  Many  Subjects  for  Description  and 

Exposition 162 

Camping  Experiences  furnish  Good  Subjects  for  Description 

and  Narration  .     .     . 1^3 

Language  and  Domestic  Science  should  be  correlated  in  the 

Upper  Grades 1^6 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  ix 

PAGE 

Good    Roads    Day  —  a    Source    of    Many    Expositions    and 

Descriptions 179 

Children  should  be  led  to  discuss  and  write  about  Sanitary 

Homes  and  Communities 181 

An  Illustration  of  a  Written  Description,  by  an  Eighth-Grade 

Boy 184 

Manual  Training  will  furnish  Many  Interesting  Subjects  for 

Description  and  Exposition 188 

The  Live  Teacher  will  use  in  Language  Work  Information 

obtained  at  Public  Health  Exhibits 196 

How  to  set  a  Table  for  a  Banquet — Correlation  of  Language 

and  Domestic  Science 198 

Drawing  made  by  an  Eighth-Grade  Girl  to  illustrate  her  own 

AVritten  Description 206 

Aurora.    (After  Guido  Reni) 208 

The  Children  may  make  Crude,  Humorous  Drawings  to  illus- 
trate their  Narrations  and  Descriptions 210 

Return  to  the  Farm.    (After  Troyon) 219 

County  School  Fairs  furnish  Live  Tojncs  for  Narration  and 

Description 222 

An  Opportunity  to  correlate  Language  and  Agriculture      .     .     22.') 

Boys'  Corn  Clubs  offer  Many  Interesting  Subjects  for  Oral 

and  Written  Language  Work 226 

The  Country  offers  Beautiful  Subjects  for  Description    .     .     .     228 

Oral  Work  in  Conversation,  Description,  and  Exposition.  Sub- 
ject, Flowers  gathered  at  Recess 231 

The    "  Hows "    of    Farm    Activities    are    Good    Subjects    for 

Exposition 2.32 

A  Hike  to  the  Woods  to  study  Wild  Flowers  for  Observation 

Reports  and  Description 23.") 

The  Library  is  an  Important  Asset  in  Rural-Sch(Jol  Language 

Work 238 


LANdUiVaE  AA^ORK  IN 
ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

INTRODUCTION 

Within  the  past  fifteen  or  twenty  years,  leaders 
in  educational  affairs  have  become  convinced  that 
training  in  the  use  of  the  mother  tongue  has  not 
produced  the  desired  results.  In  generations  gone 
by,  the  idea  that  one  learns  enough  of  his  own  lan- 
guage by  absorption  and  imitation  seems  to  have 
prevailed.  To  be  sure,  the  grammar  of  the  Enghsh 
language  was  studied,  but  this  work  consisted  largely 
in  mastering  certain  principles,  with  little  definite 
direction  as  to  their  application  in  everyday  speech. 
This  old  system  has  received  justly  merited  censure, 
and  another,  fashioned  on  saner  ideas,  has  taken 
its  place. 

Any  system  of  instruction  is  measured  by  its 
fruits,  and,  according  to  this  standard,  the  language 
work  of  the  past  has  not  been  eminently  successful, 
for  the  boys  and  girls  of  the  past  have  not  devel- 
oped sufficient  ability  to  speak  and  write  the  mother 
tongue  correctly  and  elegantly.  The  result  has  been 
a  healthy  reaction  against  old  ideas   and  methods, 


2     LANGUAGE  WOKK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

and  a  new  type  of  language  work,  which  will 
undoubtedly  produce  better  results,  is  now  being 
universally  adopted. 

Importance  of  the  Work 

Language  work  is,  without  question,  one  of  the 
most  important  subjects  in  the  public  schools.  There 
is  no  study  that  so  thoroughly  permeates  the  work 
of  all  other  subjects  and  that  is  so  essential  to  their 
successful  conduct.  Ex-president  Eliot,  of  Harvard 
University,  puts  in  its  proper  place  the  ability  to 
speak  correctly  when  he  says  that  any  educational 
system  should  develop  four  powers :  namely,  (1)  to 
observe  accurately,  (2)  to  register  impressions  cor- 
rectly and  clearly,  (3)  to  draw  correct  inferences  from 
this  raw  material,  and  (4)  to  express  these  inferences 
or  thoughts  in  clear,  forceful  language.  From  one 
viewpoint  every  recitation  is  a  language  recitation. 
Language  is  the  means  by  which  the  child  receives 
from  the  printed  page  and  from  the  teacher  his 
impetus  in  thinking,  and  by  this  means  he  expresses 
the  ideas  which  come  to  him  as  a  result  of  both 
these  incentive  forces. 

The  teacher,  therefore,  who  does  not  take  cogni- 
zance of  the  language  used  in  all  the  various 
recitations  and  try  to  bring  it  to  a  high  standard 
of  excellence  will  find  the  work  of  her  regular 
language    exercises   barren    of   lasting   results.     She 


INTRODUCTION  3 

must  remember  that  the  recitation  periods  of  the 
day  afford  a  constant  field  for  applying  in  actual 
use  the  lessons  learned  in  the  regular  language  exer- 
cises. If,  for  example,  she  emphasizes  the  correct 
use  of  certain  verbs  or  pronouns  in  the  composition 
lesson,  and  then  allows  the  pupils  to  disregard  this 
knowledge  in  the  language  used  in  the  history  or 
physiology  lesson  the  next  period,  it  would  be  better 
not  to  teach  the  language  facts  at  all,  for  such  self- 
contradiction  makes  the  language  work  little  less 
than  a  huge  joke. 

Again,  the  importance  of  language  work  must  be 
admitted  when  we  realize  how  closely  it  is  identified 
with  the  thinking  process.  Much  of  the  ineffective 
work  of  the  past  has  been  due  to  a  failure  on  the 
part  of  teachers  to  understand  this  fact.  "  No  ex- 
jwession  without  impression  "  is  a  maxim  which  the 
teacher  of  language  should  learn  early  in  her  work. 
Max  Mliller  said:  "  Lancruage  and  thoug-ht  are  in- 
separable.  Words  without  thought  are  dead  sounds ; 
thoughts  without  words  are  nothing.  To  think  is 
to  speak  low ;  to  speak  is  to  think  aloud."  Plato 
said  that  thought  and  speech  are  one  and  the  same 
process. 

It  is  true  that  thoughts  which  are  never  expressed 
in  words,  in  the  form  of  either  mental  pictures  or 
audible  sounds,  often  flit  across  the-  panorama  of  the 
mind,  but  such  thoughts  are  almost  as  ineffective  in 


4     LANGUAGE  WORK  IK  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

shaping  the  life  of  the  individual  and  of  the  world 
about  him  as  are  the  early  mists  in  keeping  back 
the  rays  of  the  morning  sun.  Thoughts  tend  to 
find  immediate  expression  in  words,  and  those  that 
do  not  do  this  are  soon  lost  forever.  Each  word 
the  child  learns  means  a  new  mental  picture,  and 
mental  pictures,  or  ideas,  are  the  raw  material  out 
of  which  his  thoughts  are  formed.  For  this  reason 
language  work  that  teaches  the  child  to  know  and 
to  use  correctly  these  "'  signs  of  ideas,"  and  that 
leads  him  to  develop  new  thought  and  a  desire  to 
give  expression  to  it,  must  be  paramount  in  the 
development  of  a  thinking,  sentient  being. 

Language  Reveals  One's  Character 

Language  is,  moreover,  the  most  universal  means 
of  revealing  character  and  personahty.  There  is  no 
way  by  which  an  intelhgent  person  can  so  readily 
read  a  man's  past  life  and  his  cultural  attainments 
as  by  his  language.  Some  people  express  their  ideas 
in  paintings,  others  in  architectural  creations,  and 
still  others  in  music  and  other  forms  of  art,  but  all 
men  use  language  as  a  means  of  expressing  the 
best,  as  well  as  the  worst,  within  them.  That 
"  thy  speech  bewrayeth  thee "  is  as  true  in  deter- 
mining character  and  culture  as  it  was  in  revealing 
to  the  damsel  of  old  that  Peter  was  one  of  the 
Master's  disciples.    How  very  essential  it  is,  then,  to 


INTRODUCTION  5 

have  our  sons  and  daughters  trained  to  use  the 
mother  tongue  correctly,  for  the  most  ardent  sup- 
porter of  the  so-called  practical  education  will  rate 
this  as  a  valuable  asset  in  life. 

Its  Purpose  est  Public  Schools 

The  purpose  of  language  work  in  public  schools 
is  simple  enough  to  define,  however  difficult  it  may 
be  to  achieve  it  in  practice.  The  chief  aim  of  lan- 
guage work,  all  will  readily  admit,  is  to  lead  our 
children  to  think  accurately,  to  feel  deeply,  and  to 
use  the  Enghsh  language  correctly.  This  is,  of 
course,  a  very  difficult  task,  for  it  is  much  easier 
to  teach  facts  than  to  lead  children  to  think  about 
and  apply  these  facts  when  learned.  Form  subjects 
are  for  this  reason  taught  with  great  difficulty.  The 
task  is  rendered  a  more  serious  one  because  children 
learn  to  speak  by  imitation  largely,  and  because  the 
language  they  hear  from  day  to  day  unfortunately 
leads  them  into  much  error  in  speech.  Moreover, 
this  formation  of  undesirable  habits  of  lano-uage 
usually  gets  the  start  of  the  teacher  by  about  four 
years,  for  the  child  of  six  has  been  talking  for  about 
that  length  of  time.  It  is  little  wonder,  then,  that 
under  the  old  regime  our  boys  and  girls  came  out 
of  the  public  schools  with  little  more  ability  to 
speak  correctly  and  elegantly  than  they  had  when 
they  entered. 


6     LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Evils  of  the  Wokk  in  the  Past 

Much  of  the  poor  language  work  of  the  past  has 
been  due  to  the  fact  that  the  language  exercises  were 
too  stiff  and  formal.  Children  abhor  formality  every- 
where; it  suppresses  every  impulse  that  prompts 
their  activities  away  from  school,  and  it  destroys 
the  light-hearted  interest  that  is  so  abundant  and 
necessary  in  child  life.  Formality  checks  thought, 
destroys  interest,  and  keeps  back  that  spontaneous 
outburst  of  expression  that  means  so  much  in  the 
development  of  thought  and  language  power.  The 
teacher  that  frowns  upon  a  hearty  laugh,  or  at 
the  introduction  into  the  class  of  some  semblance 
of  the  play  life  outside  of  school,  is  not  fitted  to  get 
good  results  in  language  work.  The  child's  natural 
tendencies  under  ordinary  conditions  lead  him  to  an 
open  and  frank  expression  of  his  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings. To  assist  in  preserving  a  proper  lack  of  for- 
mality in  the  work,  this  book  emphasizes  language 
games,  story-telling  (a  child  loses  himself  in  telling 
an  interesting  story),  and  dramatization.  The  value 
of  these  and  similar  kinds  of  language  work  can 
hardly  be  estimated.  Education  is  not  a  preparation 
for  life  so  much  as  it  is  life,  and  any  tendency  in 
school  work  to  keep  alive  the  play  instinct  of  child 
life  without  sacrificing  anything  else  is  to  be  highly 
commended. 


IXTRODUCTIOX  7 

Another  mistake  in  the  language  work  of  the  past 
has  been  the  emphasizing  of  written  work  ahiiost 
to  the  complete  exclusion  of  the  oral.  The  question 
of  oral  composition  has  lately  become  one  of  the 
most  important  ones  before  conventions  of  Enghsh 
teachers,  and  it  is  second  to  none  in  frequency 
among  the  discussions  in  educational  publications. 
One  of  the  distinct  features  of  this  book  is  the 
attempt  to  harmonize  properly  these  two  kinds  of 
language  effort.  It  is  quite  important  that  a  person 
should  be  able  to  write  effectively  and  well,  but  let 
us  not  forget  that  most  of  us  talk  very  much  more 
than  we  write.  The  power  of  habit  in  shaping 
language  is  therefore  more  effective  in  oral  than 
in  written  speech.  If  one  can  speak  correctly,  it  is 
quite  likely  that  he  will  write  correctly;  for,  as 
Chubb  says,  "As  are  a  child's  habits  of  oral  expres- 
sion, so  will  his  habits  of  written  expression  tend 
to  become ;  or,  in  other  words,  his  written  language 
will  be  predetermined  by  his  previously  acquired 
oral  habit  and  practice."  Oral  language  work  is 
more  difficult  to  handle,  and  demands  more  energy 
and  tact  on  the  part  of  the  teacher,  but  the  results 
are  commensurate  with  the  effort.  We  have  neg- 
lected oral  work  in  the  past,  and  dearly  have  we 
paid  for  it.  Oral  composition  should  be  as  system- 
atically and  deliberately  planned  and  executed  as 
the   written   work.    In   the   lower   grades   the   oral 


8     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

should  predominate ;  in  the  higher  grades  the  two 
should  stand  side  by  side.  If  this  balance  is  care- 
fully maintained,  two  great  mistakes  in  the  language 
work  of  the  past  will  be  corrected. 

The  Importance  of  Correlation 

Language  study  to-day  does  not  stand  out  as  a 
separate  and  independent  subject,  but  is  the  core  of 
all  other  subjects  in  the  course,  and  in  turn  draws 
its  inspiration  and  material  from  them.  History, 
physiology,  geography,  natm'e  study,  etc.  now  fur- 
nish a  laboratory  for  the  practical  demonstration  of 
the  principles  worked  out  in  the  language  classes, 
and  in  turn  yield  for  the  use  of  the  language  work 
abundant  raw  material  in  the  form  of  live  subjects 
that  draw  from  students  a  quick  and  ready  response. 
For  example,  it  is  a  mistake  to  think  of  language 
work  as  separate  and  distinct  from  history.  The 
work  of  the  two  are  inseparable,  for  without  the 
other  neither  can  be  successfully  and  completely 
taught.  The  enrichment  of  language  material  brought 
about  by  the  introduction  of  historical  subjects  for 
story-telling  and  dramatization,  of  geographical  scenes 
and  excursions  for  description  and  narration,  of  prac- 
tical lessons  in  physiology  and  hygiene  for  exposi- 
tion, etc.  opens  up  the  floodgates  of  thought  and 
expression.  This  new  ideal  of  proper  correlation 
among  the  various  subjects  of  the  course,  especially 


IXTRODUCTIOK  9 

as  it  applies  to  the  use  of  these  original  sources  of 
supply,  has  given  to  language  work  a  new  life  and 
vigor  impossible  under  former  conditions. 

Motivation  est  Language  Work 

A  great  mistake  in  present-day  language  work  is 
the  failure  to  give  to  the  child  an  incentive  to  talk 
and  write  that  is  strong  enough  to  produce  an  absorb- 
ing interest.  This  is  sometimes  called  the  motwation 
of  language  work,  which  means  that  the  child's  mind 
is  stimulated  with  interesting  ideas,  and  that  free 
and  ready  expression  is  brought  about  by  a  motive 
which  may  be  either  a  desire  for  seK-expression  or 
a  more  formal  one  which  is  developed  by  an  outside 
interest  and  directed  by  the  teacher. 

Children  learn  fastest  under  the  stress  of  interest. 
To  be  convinced  of  this  fact  one  need  only  notice 
how  much  more  readily  the  language  of  the  play- 
ground is  adopted  by  the  child  than  that  of  the 
classroom,  \yriting  a  composition  simply  for  the 
sake  of  writing  it  fm^nishes  no  motive  and  develops 
little  language  or  thought  power. 

The  letter  form,  therefore,  is  the  form  in  which 
the  majority  of  the  compositions,  especially  in  the 
lower  grades,  should  appear,  for  in  this  way  an  audi- 
ence is  furnished.  No  opportunity  to  compose  real 
letters  for  specific  purposes  should  be  lost.  Stories 
to  be  used  in  the  lower  grades  may  be  composed 


10     LANGUAGE  WORK  IK  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

by  classes  and  individuals  in  other  grades,  poems 
memorized  should  he  repeated  in  public  or  at  home, 
and  the  best  plays  written  or  adapted  by  the  vari- 
ous grades  should,  whenever  possible,  be  presented 
on  public  occasions.  In  fact,  no  school  or  home 
situation  should  fail  to  supply  a  real  motive  for 
language  work. 

Correcting  Errors  in  Language 

The  task  of  developing  habits  of  correct  speech 
in  the  child  of  six,  who  has  already  acquired  many 
undesirable  habits,  and  who  has  incorrect  and  in- 
elegant speech  on  every  hand  to  lead  him  astray, 
is  herculean.  Only  constant  eifort  on  every  occasion 
during  his  school  life  will  bring  even  a  measure 
of  success.  The  child  should  be  given  to  under- 
stand at  once  that  there  is  a  right  and  a  wrong  in 
usage,  and  that  unceasing  war  will  be  made  on  the 
wrong.  Of  course  this  will  be  done  in  a  kind  and 
sympathetic  way,  especially  in  the  lower  grades. 
Incorrect  usage  should  always  be  corrected  at  the 
time  the  error  is  made.  Every  recitation  during  the 
day  should  be  characterized  by  the  same  watchful- 
ness on  the  part  of  the  teacher  that  he  gives  to 
the  exercises  of  the  regular  language  period. 

It  is  a  potent  fact  that  children  learn  to  speak 
the  mother  tongue  by  imitation,  and  for  this  reason 
unconsciously  fall  into  wrong  habits  of  speech.    The 


INTRODUCTION  11 

average  individual  is  wholly  unconscious  even  of 
the  most  flagrant  errors  in  his  speech.  A  middle- 
aged  teacher  in  one  of  the  writer's  classes  excused 
himself  for  saying  "I  taken"  in  a  recitation  on  the 
ground  that  he  was  not  conscious  of  the  mistake. 
The  school  must  in  some  way  force  children  to  see 
and  be  conscious  of  their  language  sins.  To-day 
we  are  learning  that  in  most  cases  it  is  a  moral 
sin  to  be  sick ;  children  must  be  taught  that  it  is 
just  as  much  a  sin  to  do  violence  to  the  mother 
tongue.  The  work  of  correcting  errors  in  speech 
may  be  done  in  an  interesting  way  by  having 
children  observe  for  a  given  time  the  language  of 
certain  classmates  or  other  individuals  and  make  a 
written  report  to  the  class  or  teacher.  Later,  each 
pupil  should  in  a  similar  manner  observe  and  at 
given  intervals  report  on  his  own  speech.  A  Lan- 
guage Vigilance  Committee  of  three  or  more  in  each 
class,  the  personnel  of  which  should  change  from 
week  to  week,  may  help  very  much  to  improve  the 
language  of  the  school  and  community. 

In  a  word,  a  language  conscience  must  be  either 
aroused  or  implanted  in  every  child.  He  must  be 
taught  to  recognize  errors  in  the  speech  about  him 
and  to  have  a  desire  to  rid  himself  of  those  found 
in  his  own  speech.  Bad  habits  are  best  uprooted  by 
developing  good  ones  in  their  stead.  Much  positive 
teaching   of  correct   form  must   therefore   be  done. 


12     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

This  is  one  of  the  main  purposes  of  memorizing 
good  poetry,  of  language  games,  of  dictation  work, 
and  of  the  constant  correction  of  errors  in  both  oral 
and  written  compositions. 

Connect  Principle  and  Peactice 

The  chief  concern  of  the  teacher  in  her  language 
work  is  that  children  should  put  into  actual  use 
in  everyday  speech  the  language  facts  learned  from 
day  to  day.  Connect  principle  and  p>ractice  should 
be  the  watchword.  Failm^e  to  do  this  has  been  the 
great  error  of  the  past.  The  process  is  necessarily 
one  of  habit-building,  and  in  the  work  three  things 
must  be  accomplished,  as  stated  by  Gilbert  and 
Harris  in  their  "Manual  to  Guide  Books  to  Eng- 
lish," p.  6 :  (1)  focalization  of  -consciousness  upon 
the  process  to  be  made  automatic ;  (2)  attentive 
repetition  of  this  process;  (3)  permitting  no  excep- 
tions until  automatism  results.  It  is  hoped  that  the 
following  pages  will  assist  teachers,  who  may  chance 
to  use  the  suggestions  found  therein,  to  achieve  this 
goal.  The  teacher  of  language  will  find  in  each  of 
the  different  kinds  of  language  work  outlined  in  this 
book  an  opportunity  to  apply  one  or  more  of  these 
three  necessary  principles.  If  this  standard  is  not 
maintained,  language  work  will  be  a  failm^e  and 
will  hardly  justify  its  place  in  our  elementary-school 
curriculum. 


INTRODUCTION  13 

The  Teacher's  Language 

"  If  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  both  shall  fall  into 
the  ditch."  Since  children  learn  to  speak  the  mother 
tongue  by  imitation,  it  follows,  as  surely  as  night 
follows  day,  that  no  teacher  whose  language  is  not 
at  all  times  pure,  correct,  and  accurate  is  fit  to 
instruct  the  young.  Small  children,  especially,  who 
are  at  the  most  impressionable  period,  idealize  their 
teachers  and  are  quite  sure  to  adopt,  both  con- 
sciously and  unconsciously,  their  errors  of  grammar 
and  rhetoric,  as  well  as  their  tones  and  mannerisms. 
Too  much  emphasis  cannot  be  placed  on  the  im- 
portance of  a  high  standard  of  excellence  in  the 
lano;uao;e  of  the  teacher. 

To  be  sure,  it  requires  a  large  variety  of  standards 
of  excellence  to  be  a  successful  teacher  of  language 
in  the  elementary  school.  Not  only  should  her  lan- 
guage be  of  a  high  standard,  but  she  should  be 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  correct  ideals,  pur- 
poses, and  methods  of  the  subject,  and  with  child 
psychology  in  its  relation  to  the  development  of  lan- 
guage power.  No  other  individual  has  any  moral 
right  to  enter  the  sacred  confines  of  a  school  as  an 
instructor  of  the  young.  This  standard  in  the  prepa- 
ration and  development  of  the  elementary  teacher 
must  be  reached  before  we  can  hope  for  very  definite 
results  from  her  language  work. 


14     LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

The  Letter  est  Composition  Work 

Not  enough  emphasis  is  placed  on  letter-writing 
in  our  elementary  schools.  Much  time  is  spent  in 
written  composition  work,  but  boys  and  girls,  on 
leaving  school,  too  often  do  not  have  adequate  pro- 
ficiency in  this  most  important  form  of  composition. 
The  author's  experience  in  instructing  young  teachers 
for  the  past  eight  years  convinces  him  that  a  large 
proportion  even  of  these  have  not  been  taught  and 
do  not  know  some  of  the  fundamentals  of  the  letter 
form.  Recently  there  entered  his  classes  from  a  city 
of  15,000  inhabitants  a  public-school  graduate  who 
did  not  know  how  and  where  to  arrange  the  date 
line  of  a  letter,  and  this  case  is  not  altogether  an 
exceptional  one. 

Most  people  compose  little  except  letters.  This 
is  sufficient  reason  why  unusual  emphasis  should  be 
placed  on  the  letter  form.  In  the  lower  grades  at 
least  three  fourths  of  the  composition  work,  whether 
narrative,  descriptive,  or  expository  in  character,  should 
be  written  in  letter  form,  while  in  the  grammar  grades 
the  proportion  may  be  reduced  to  one  half  or  one 
third.  In  addition  to  the  fact  that  the  letter  is  more 
practical,  it  makes  the  work,  especially  in  the  lower 
grades,  more  interesting  because  it  affords  an  audi- 
ence. The  various  kinds  of  letters  —  social,  business, 
etc.  —  should  be  emphasized  in  the  grammar  grades. 


INTRODUCTION  15 

The  Importance  of  the  Dictionary 

A  fact  often  overlooked  by  teachers  of  elemen- 
tary language  work  is  that  the  use  of  the  diction- 
ary is  a  sine  qua  non  in  assisting  a  child  to  use 
effectively  his  language  tools  —  reading,  speaking, 
and  writing.  Words  are  the  "signs  of  ideas,"  which 
are  the  raw  material  from  which  thought  is  made. 
As  Howell  puts  it,  "  Words  are  the  soul's  ambassa- 
dors who  go  abroad  upon  her  errands  to  and  fro." 
Every  new  word  learned  by  the  child  means  greater 
thought  range  and  another  idea  added  to  his  mental 
content.  Most  people  have  too  small  a  vocabulary, 
and  one  of  the  best  means  of  remedying  this  fault 
is  to  lead  children  to  form  the  habit  of  using  the 
dictionary. 

Every  child  in  the  fifth  grade  and  above  should 
possess  and  use  a  dictionary.  It  should  be  used 
both  at  the  desk  and  in  the  class  to  learn  the  mean- 
ings of  all  new  words  and  to  study  the  different 
colorings  and  connotations  that  belong  to  words 
already  learned.  The  ingenious  teacher  will  devise 
interesting  methods  of  doing  this  work.  Too  great 
emphasis  cannot  be  placed  upon  it  as  a  necessary 
part  of  language  development.  In  choosing  a  dic- 
tionary for  use  in  elementary  schools  great  care 
should  be  exercised  to  get  one  whose  meanings  are 
definite  and  not  mere  svnonyms. 


16     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Diagramming  and  Parsing 

In  most  schools,  particularly  in  rural  schools,  too 
much  time  is  spent  in  diagramming  and  parsing. 
With  reference  to  the  former,  it  is  not  possible  to 
make  any  exact  statement  as  to  the  amount  that 
may  profitably  be  done,  for  the  teacher  will  have  to 
make  the  prescription  suit  the  patient  in  each  indi- 
vidual case.  Some  children  will  ,need  much  of  it ; 
others  may  soon  put  it  aside.  It  is  a  work  that 
should  be  discarded  by  the  class  as  soon  as  the  con- 
structive imagination  can  grasp  abstract  relationships 
without  the  aid  of  the  diagram.  Some  children  think 
almost  entirely  by  images  —  thing-thinkers  ;  others 
may  cast  the  image  aside  and  get  the  thought 
directly  by  abstract  thinking  —  idea-thinkers.  The 
former  class  needs  the  diagram  constantly;  the 
latter  may  discard  it  perhaps  early  in  the  eighth 
grade.  The  teacher  should  therefore  know  the 
thought  habits  of  her  children,  and  she  may  then 
eliminate  much  of  the  time  wasted  in  diagramming. 

Parsing  is  a  necessary  evil,  but  it  is  a  danger- 
ous instrument  in  the  hands  of  a  poor  teacher.  It 
develops  logical  thinking  and  accm-acy  of  speech, 
but  the  time  spent  in  doing  this  work,  especially 
in  rural  schools,  should  be  reduced  by  one  half.  If 
the  language  facts  are  taught  inductively  and  under- 
standingly,  there  is  little  need  of  parsing  work  except 


INTPvODUCTIOK  17 

as  a  kind  of  closing  test.  Let  the  teacher  have 
her  classes  parse  one  fourth  or  one  third  of  the 
words  assigned  for  that  work  in  the  various  places 
in  the  text  which  the  class  is  using,  and  then  let 
her  test  the  knowledge  of  the  pupils  by  some  other 
method.  Words  for  parsing  at  sight  may  be  picked 
out  at  random  from  the  preface,  introduction,  or 
elsewhere,  or  specific  questions  in  regard  to  irregu- 
larities in  the  use  of  certain  words  taken  at  random 
may  be  asked.  This  will  avoid  the  monotony  of 
much  parsing,  and  at  the  same  time  mil  develop 
thought  power. 

The  Literary  Society  and  the  School  Paper 

A  society  to  meet  twice  a  month  (on  Friday 
afternoon  perhaps),  in  which  debates,  plays,  memo- 
rized selections  of  prose  or  poetry,  original  stories, 
etc.  may  be  presented,  is  a  wholesome  adjunct  to 
the  more  theoretical  language  work  of  the  class- 
room. This  not  only  offers  a  place  where  the  child 
may  practice  the  language  facts  learned  in  the  reci- 
tation, but  motivates  language  work  and  develops 
great  interest.  Children  should  have  opportunities 
to  perform  more  pretentious  feats  of  language  than 
those  which  the  classroom  affords ;  during  the  prepa- 
ration and  performance,  pupils  will  unconsciously 
acquire  good  habits  of  language  and  a  ready  expres- 
sion before  an  audience. 


18     LANGUAGE  AYORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

The  literary  and  debating  society  is  especially 
effective  in  village  and  rural  schools,  for  it  serves 
as  a  beginning  around  which  various  forms  of  social 
activity  may  spring  up.  It  may  be  difficult  to  de- 
velop a  live  society  of  this  kind  in  city  schools. 

In  many  schools  a  weekly  or  monthly  paper  is 
published  by  the  children.  This  enterprise  is  more 
likely  to  succeed  in  towns  of  four  thousand  or  over. 
And  yet  the  writer  has  seen  a  niost  attractive  and 
successful  little  paper  of  this  kind  printed  in  a 
school  of  only  three  hundred  pupils. 

Standards  of  Achievement 

Sound  pedagogy  and  scientific  method  demand 
that  teachers  shall  be  able  to  measure  by  some 
definite  standard  the  progress  of  their  pupils.  Effi- 
ciency in  teaching  language  demands  that  there  shall 
be  in  every  grade  a  definite  program  of  action  and 
a  means  of  determining  when  the  desired  results 
follow.  In  langliage  work  such  a  system  of  measure- 
ment is  difficult  to  outline,  because  the  standard  to 
be  reached  includes  not  only  knowledge  of  many 
principles  but  the  ability  to  put  these  into  practice 
in  oral  and  written  language ;  and  yet  it  is  very 
essential  that  every  teacher  should  have  some  such 
system.  Under  Purposes  and  Aims  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  matter  in  each  grade  the  general  stand- 
ards for  the  year's  work   are  given,  while  at   the 


INTRODUCTION  19 

close,  under  Technical  Matters,  are  found  the  gram- 
matical principles,  including  capitalization,  punctua- 
tion, etc.,  that  should  be  mastered  both  in  theory  and 
in  practice.  For  the  purpose  of  testing  the  progress 
in  oral  and  written  speech  the  writer  recommends 
very  highly  Thompson's  "  Minimum  Essentials  in 
Language."  ^  Each  of  these  sheets  contains  from 
one  to  two  hundred  questions,  which  were  selected, 
graded,  and  tabulated  after  several  years'  experiment. 

A  Final  Word  to  the  Teacher 

The  outlines  and  terminology  of  this  book  are 
for  the  guidance  of  the  teacher  only,  and  for  this 
reason  they  could  have  no  meaning  for  the  pupil. 
The  discussions  frequently  contain  such  terms  as  '  ex- 
position,' '  narration,'  '  unity,'  '  time  sequence,'  etc., 
but  these  terms  should  never  be  used  in  directing  the 
work,  unless  it  be  in  the  eighth  grade,  where  their 
use  would  prepare  the  pupil  for  the  first  year's  work 
in  the  high  school.  This  explanation  gives  the  reason 
for  what  will  seem  to  be  an  undue  emphasis  placed, 
in  this  book,  on  the  forms  of  discourse,  w^hen  the 
more  important  thing  is  their  functions. 

1  Published  by  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.   25  cents  for  100  sheets. 


LANGUAGE  WORK  BY  GRADES 


GRADE  ONE 

I.   ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Original  Expression. 

1.  Conversation  Exercises. 

2.  Observation  Lessons  and  Reports. 

3.  Story-Telling :  (a)  Reproductions ;  (h)  Creations  of  Fancyo 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Memorizing  Work. 

2.  Dramatization. 

3.  Language  Games. 

IL   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Original  Expression. 

1.  Single  Sentence  AVork. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Copying  Work. 

2.  Dictation  Exercises. 

III.   GENERAL  AVORK 

Desk  Work. 

1.  Word  Cards. 

2.  Letter  Cards. 

Technical  Matters. 


23 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

The  purpose  of  language  work  in  the  first  grade  is  to 
stimulate  thought  and  feeling,  and  to  broaden  and  enrich 
the  child's  vocabulary  that  he  may  give  expression  to 
these  mental  states  in  correct  phraseology.  Oral  expression 
is  at  this  stage  the  child's  cliief  means  of  expressing  his 
growing  intellectual  life,  and  it  is  the  busmess  of  the 
teacher  in  this  grade,  therefore,  to  concentrate  her  efforts 
upon  this  part  of  the  work.  All  very  common  errors  in 
language  should  be  unceasingly,  and  yet  kindly,  corrected, 
that  some  definite  progress  may  be  made  in  this  direction. 
Making  correct  and  complete  statements  should  become 
a  fixed  habit  before  the  second  year's  work  is  begun. 
Very  little  written  composition  should  be  attempted  this 
year,  certainly  not  before  the  last  two  or  three  months. 
After  the  first  few  weeks  of  school,  however,  some  written 
work,  consisting  of  copying  words  and  sentences  from  the 
board  or  from  the  reading  lessons,  may  be  done  on  the 
blackboard  or  with  soft  pencils  on  unglazed  paper.  By 
the  close  of  the  year  the  child  should  be  able  to  write 
his  own  name  and  home  address,  and  to  take  very  simple 
dictation  work.  Let  the  teacher  remember  that  the  expres- 
sion of  thought  must  be  open  and  frank  if  it  is  to  be  of 
any  value  in  language  development,  and  consequently 
that  the  first  step  here  will  be  to  win  the  friendship  and 
complete  sympathy  of  the  children. 


24 


GRADE   ONE 

I.   ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expeession" 

1.  Conversation  Exercises.  The  ability  to  think 
accurately  and  to  give  correct  expression  to  his 
thoughts  is  the  most  important  possession  the  child 
can  have.  The  first  duty,  therefore,  that  confronts 
the  teacher  in  this  grade  is  to  assist  the  child  to  take 
the  first  steps  toward  this  end.  At  first  this  can  be 
done  best  by  drawing  out  in  the  form  of  free  and 
general  conversation  the  expression  of  thought  on 
matters  closely  connected  with  the  life  and  interests 
of  the  children.  For  the  first  two  weeks,  or  perhaps 
longer,  no  other  kind  of  language  work  should  be 
attempted. 

The  method  used  in  this  work  should  be  to  elicit 
simple  and  spontaneous  statements  from  the  chil- 
dren, both  by  suggestion  and  by  question,  until  by 
degrees  they  are  led  to  direct  their  remarks  to  each 
other.  At  first  the  teacher  should  not  be  too  care- 
ful as  to  the  order  and  conciseness  of  what  is  said. 
The  questions  asked  by  the  teacher  should  always 
be  such  as  demand  specific  answers.  That  she  may 
be  successful  in  developing  freedom  and  spontaneity, 

25 


26     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


the  teacher  should  take  advantage  of  every  oppor- 
tunity to  converse  with  the  small  children  before 
school  each  morning,  on  the  playground,  and  on 
the  way  to  and  from  school.  This  will  develop  a 
bond  of  sympathy  between  teacher  and  pupil,  and 
will    help    to    break    down    the    barrier    raised    by 

timidity  on  the  part  of  the 
child. 

The  teacher  should  always 
Ije  sympathetic  in  her  atti- 
tude, and  the  children  should 
never  be  allowed  to  get  the 
idea  that  the  conversation 
period  is  a  regular  language 
exercise.  For  this  reason 
the  correction  of  mistakes 
in  this  and  all  other  exer- 
cises of  the  day  should  at 
first  be  done  sparingly,  and 
largely  by  examj)le.  Un- 
suspected openings  may  be 
found  for  substituting  the 
correct  for  the  incorrect  form,  thus  winning  the 
child's  ear  to  the  correct  expression  and  leading  him 
to  use  it  unconsciously.  Later  in  the  year,  however, 
a  few  of  the  commonest  errors  should  be  chosen  for 
unceasing  correction.  Such  mistakes  as  the  following 
will  very  likely  be  heard  :  '  come '  for  '  came,'  '  seen ' 
for  'saw,'  'have  got ''for  'have/  'git'  for  'get,' 
'  don't '  for  '  does  n't,'  '  ain't '  for  '  am  not,'  '  is  n't ' 


CONVERSATION  SHoULO  HE 

GIN  WITH  PETS  AND  PLAY 

THINGS 


GEADE  ONE  27 

or  '  are  n't,'  double  negatives,  plural  nouns  with 
singular  verbs,  etc.  In  the  child's  speech  a  very 
important  goal  to  be  reached  is  complete,  full  state- 
ments in  recitations.  The  teacher  should  lead  the 
way  by  constantly  speaking  in  this  manner  and  by 
assisting  the  children  to  do  likewise. 

The  following  suggested  grouping  of  subjects  suit- 
able for  use  in  the  conversation  exercises  is  made 
in  order  to  give  the  teacher  assistance  in  begin- 
ning the  work.  Other  subjects  suited  to  individual 
localities  may  be  added  by  the  teacher  as  she 
thinks    best. 

a.  The  home :  what  father,  mother,  brothers,  and  sisters 
are  doing ;  animals  on  place ;  pets ;  playthings. 

h.  Growing  things  :  corn,  cotton,  wheat,  oats,  potatoes,  and 
all  the  things  that  grow  in  field,  orchard,  or  garden ;  flowers, 
shrubbery,  trees,  and  weeds,  both  wild  and  domestic,  in  yards 
and  on  roadsides. 

c.  Animals:  domestic,  such  as  the  horse,  cow,  dog,  hog, 
sheep,  etc. ;  wild,  such  as  the  rabbit,  squirrel,  opossum  and, 
after  the  circus,  the  lion,  elephant,  giraffe,  etc. 

d.  Birds  (all  in  the  community)  :  color,  songs,  habits  of 
life,  good  or  bad  for  fruits  and  crops. 

e.  Holidays  and  seasons :  Columbus  Day,  Thanksgiving, 
Christmas,  New  Year's,  Lincoln's  Birthday,  and  "Washington's 
Birthday ;  fall,  winter,  spring. 

/.  Pictures  of  action  and  of  animal  life,  such  as  those  of 
Bonheur,  Landseer,  and  ]\Iillet  and  the  best  illustrations  of 
Mother  Goose,  may  be  found  interesting  in  this  grade.  Little 
description  work  with  pictures  should  be  done  before  the 
second  grade. 

g.  The  teacher  should  occasionally  lead  the  conversation 
into  a  discussion  of  good  manners  (such  as  correct  behavior  at 


28     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

table,  courtesy  to  women  and  girls,  consideration  for  old  people 
and  younger  children)  and  personal  neatness  (care  of  the  teeth, 
nails,  shoes,  and  hair,  and  attention  to  details  of  dress,  etc.). 

2.  Observation  Lessons  and  Reports.  Children 
should  be  taught  early  to  see  things  in  the  world  of 
nature  and  art,  and  to  describe  and  make  statements 
about  them.  After  interest  has  been  aroused,  in  the 
conversation  period  perhaps,  about  some  object  closely 
related  to  the  life  of  the  children,. they  may  be  asked 
to  observe  it  carefully  for  a  day  or  two.  The  result 
of  these  observations  should  then  be  given  in  the 
form  of  oral  reports  in  the  language  class.  These 
reports  should  be  given  in  a  free  and  open  conversa- 
tional style,  assisted  perhaps  by  an  occasional  ques- 
tion from  the  teacher.  Later  in  the  year,  reports 
consisting  of  several  well-connected  sentences  may  be 
expected.  This  is  a  good  place  to  teach  many  facts 
about  nature  study,  agriculture,  domestic  science,  and 
the  various  manufacturing  and  industrial  activities. 
The  method  of  presentation  should  be  varied.  In 
addition  to  the  plan  outlined  above,  the  following 
devices  may  be  found  suggestive : 

a.  Have  the  children  go  to  the  windows  or  to 
the  front  door  for  a  moment.  When  they  return, 
have  them  report  what  they  have  seen.  Complete 
statements  should  be  required  in  these  reports. 

h.  Have  the  children  observe  things  in  the  school- 
room by  asking  them  to  name  all  the  flowers  in 
the  vases  or  to  name  the  prettiest  thing  in  the 
room. 


GEADE  ONE  29 

c.  To  test  the  imaging  power' of  the  children,  ask 
them  without  previous  notice  to  tell  what  they  saw 
on  the  way  to  school  or  at  the  county  seat  on  the  last 
visit,  what  they  ate  the  day  before  at  supper,  etc. 

d.  Large  pictures  that  deal  with  subjects  closely 
related  to  child  life  may  be  used  for  this  pm-pose. 
The  child  should  be  expected  merely  to  tell  what  he 
sees,  and  not  to  describe  the  objects  except  in  a  very 
general  way.  Only  scenes  of  life  and  action  should 
be  used,  such  as  the  animal  pictures  of  Bonheur  and 
Landseer,  and  those  of  Millet  which  give  scenes  of 
action,  as  "  Feeding  her  Birds." 

3.  Story-Telling.  The  story  is  one  of  the  most 
effective  instruments  in  the  hands  of  the  teacher 
in  the  lower  grades.  The  telHng  of  reproduced  and 
original  stories  increases  the  ability  to  do  two 
things,  for,  in  addition  to  the  increased  power  of 
expression  gained  in  this  way,  the  child's  imaging 
power  is  greatly  strengthened.  After  a  preliminary 
discussion  of  characters  and  principal  ideas  involved, 
a  story  is  told,  sometimes  read,  to  the  children,  after 
which  they  are  led  to  discuss  it  and  ask  questions 
about  it.  Reproduction  should  never  be  expected 
until  the  children  can  ask  intelligent  questions  about 
the  story  and  have  a  single  complete  impression  of 
it  as  a  whole. 

After  new  stories  are  learned  and  repeated,  frequent 
opportunities  should  be  given  the  children  to  tell 
those  they  liked  best.  Correct  language  and  com- 
plete statements  should  be  a  goal  throughout,  and 


30     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


yet  the  most  important  thing  to  be  developed  is 
vivid  imagination,  which  leads  the  children  to  enter 
heart  and  soul  into  the  story,  and  to  tell  it  so 
as  to  make  others  enter  into  it  in  the  same  way. 
Only  short  stories  are  suited  to  the  work  in  this 
grade.  By  the  end  of  the  year  each  pupil  should 
be  able  to  tell  in  a  pleasing  manner  several  stories 
from    beginning    to    end.     The    children    should    be 

.encouraged  to  tell 
these  stories  to 
their  fathers  and 
mothers  at  home. 
As  has  been  in- 
dicated above,  the 
story  work  affords 
an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity for  training 
the  constructive 
imagination.  To 
this  end  children 
should  be  encour- 
aged to  tell  stories  constructed  entirely  by  them- 
selves. They  may  be  asked  to  imagine  they  are, 
for  example,  a  lion  in  the  woods  or  a  flower  in 
the  yard  or  schoolroom,  and  to  tell  little  simple 
stories  in  keeping  with  the  objects  impersonated. 
Another  simple  device  is  to  have  the  children  hide 
their  faces  in  their  hands  on  the  desks  and  dream 
for  a  few  moments.  The  dreams  are  then  told  in  the 
form  of  stories.   In  this  work  care  should  be  exercised 


A  STORY  ALWAYS  HOLDS  THE  ATTENTION 
OF  CHILDREN 


GRADE  ONE 


31 


to  keep  the  children  from  indulging  in  flights  of 
imagination  that  are  wild  and  hurtful. 

The  stories  that  apj^eal  especially  to  children  in 
the  early  grades  are  Grimms'  fairy  tales,  Hans 
Andersen's  stories,  Mother  Goose  rimes,  and  the 
mythological  stories  and  folk  tales  of  many  lands. 
Stories  of  Indian  and  primitive  life  are  j)leasing  to 
children,  while  those  that  teach  lessons  of  good  man- 
ners and  morals,  and  of  hygiene  and  personal  habits 
of  cleanliness  etc.,  should  also  be  given  a  place. 

The  following  stories,  from  the  above  sources,  are 
especially  suitable  for  use  in  this  grade : 


Jack  and  the  Bean  Stalk. 

Little  Eed  Riding-hood. 

The  House  that  Jack  Built. 

Jack  the  Giant  Killer 

Tom  Thumb. 

The  Shepherd  Boy. 

Cinderella. 

The  Hair  and  the  Tortoise. 

The  Fox  and  the  Grapes. 


The  Crow  and  the  Pitcher. 
The  Lion  and  the  Mouse. 
The  Little  Red  Hen. 
The  Three  Bears. 
Aladdin,  or  the  Wonderful 

Lamp. 
The  Fox  and  the  Cat. 
The  Wolf  and  the  Lamb. 
The  Dog  in  the  Manger. 


"  The  Lion  and  the  Mouse,"  one  of  ^sop's  fables, 
is  given  below  ^vith  a  suggestive  series  of  questions 
that  may  be  used  in  introducing  a  discussion  of  the 
story  after  it  has  been  told  to  the  children. 


THE  LTOX  AXD  THE  MOUSE 

A  lion  lay  at  full  length  one  day,  sleeping  under  a  shady 
tree.  Some  mice,  in  scrambling  after  crumbs  that  he  had 
dropped,  awoke  him.  Laying  his  paw  upon  one  of  them,  he 
was  about  to  kill  it,  when  the  little  animal  cried,  ''  Oh,  please, 


32     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

sir,  don't  kill  me !  If  you  will  only  spare  my  life,  I  will  do 
as  much  for  you  sometime." 

The  lion  smiled  and  let  him  go.  Not  long  after  that  some 
hunters  spread  a  net  in  the  woods  in  such  a  way  that  the 
lion  ran  into  it  and  could  not  get  out.  The  more  he  struggled, 
the  closer  were  the  strong  cords  drawn  about  him. 

The  mouse  heard  him  roar  and  ran  to  his  aid.  "Lie  still 
awhile  and  I  will  get  you  loose,"  said  he.  Then  with  his 
sharp  teeth  he  soon  gnawed  the  ropes  in  pieces. 

"You  smiled  at  me  once,"  said  he,  "because  you  thought 
I  was  too  small  to  save  your  life.  But  have  n't  I  kept  my 
promise  ?  " 

QUESTIONS 

Why  did  the  lion  lie  down  for  a  nap?  Was  it  in  the  morning 
or  in  the  evening?  How  do  you  suppose  the  little  mouse  felt 
when  the  lion  caught  him  ?  What  did  the  other  mice  do  ?  Do  you 
suppose  the  lion  thought  the  mouse  would  ever  be  able  to  save 
his  life?  Tell  what  the  little  mouse  probably  said  to  the  lion 
and  later  to  the  other  mice  when  the  lion  let  him  go.  Do  you 
think  he  was  very  happy  ?  AVhy  could  n't  the  lion  free  himself 
from  the  net  ?  Who  spread  the  net  ?  AVhat  would  the  hunters  have 
done  with  the  lion  if  the  mouse  had  not  freed  him?  Was  the 
little  mouse  glad  to  help  the  lion?  Why?  How  did  he  set  the 
lion  free?  Did  you  ever  notice  how  sharp  the  teeth  of  a  little 
mouse  are?  Did  you  ever  see  a  garment  at  home  that  mice  have 
eaten  holes  through?  What  do  you  suppose  the  lion  said  to  the 
mouse  ? 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Memorizing  Work.  Poetry  is  the  form  in  which 
the  literature  of  every  people  has  first  appeared.  It  is 
therefore  one  of  man's  natural  means  of  expressing 
the  music  in  his  soul,  and  for  this  reason  it  appeals 
to  child  nature  more  than  prose.  The  kindergart- 
ners    have   taught   us,   through   their   emphasis    on 


GRADE  ONE 


33 


rhythm,  that  the  memorizing  of  poetry  is  but  devel- 
oping a  natm-al  feeling  for  rhythm  that  will  later 
grow  into  a  love  for  music  -and  poetry.  The  study 
and  memorizing  of  poetry,  moreover,  affords  an 
excellent  introduction  to  the  study  and  appreciation 
of  literature,  and  stores  the  child's  mind  with  beau- 
tiful phraseology  that  will  be  quite  sure  to  have  a 
good  influence  upon  his  language  in  after  life. 


LITTLE  BOY  BLLK 

Pictures,  or  crude  drawings  made  by  advanced  pupils,  may  be  used  in 
memorizing  or  story-telling 

Only  short  poems,  such  as  "  Jack  Horner,"  "  Little 
Boy  Blue,"  "  Old  King  Cole,"  or  Stevenson's  "  The 
Rain  "  and  "  At  the  Sea-side,"  should  be  used  at  first. 
Before  the  poem  is  read  or  recited,  it  is  sometimes 
well  to  tell  a  short  improvised  story  bearing  on  the 
thought  of  the  selection.  This  will  arouse  interest, 
secure  attention,  and  put  the  imagination  to  work. 
The  poem  should  be  repeated  or  read  several  times, 
with  short  discussions  after  or  dming  each  reading. 


34     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

to  lead  the  children  to  understand  the  thought  and 
image  the  pictures  contained  in  the  poem,  for  the 
poem  is  taught  for  its  ■  thought  as  well  as  for  its 
rhythm.  The  teacher  should  make  careful  preparation 
for  this  work  by  reading  the  poem  aloud  until  she  can 
recite  it  with  effect  and  be  at  ease  before  the  class. 

The  memorizing  and  repeating  will  have  to  be 
done  line  by  line,  the  rate  of  progress  being  deter- 
mined by  the  teacher.  No  more  than  one  stanza 
should  be  attempted  in  one  day.  The  method  of 
reciting  should  nearly  always  be  individual.  If  the 
teacher  can  find  a  picture  illustrating  the  general 
idea  of  the  poem,  it  would  be  well  to  hold  it  before 
the  eyes  of  the  children  as  they  memorize,  to  inten- 
sify the  mental  images  being  formed ;  or  they  may 
be  asked  to  close  their  eyes  and  lay  their  heads 
upon  the  desks  while  the  teacher  repeats  the  poem 
for  the  same  purpose. 

The  best  verses  for  memory  work  in  the  early  part 
of   the  year  are  the    Mother  Goose  rimes,  such  as 

Little  Jack  Horner  Hey  Diddle  Diddle 

Old  Mother  Hubbard  Jack  and  Jill 

Old  King  Cole  This  Little  Pig  went  to  Market 

Little  Boy  Blue  Humpty  Dumpty 

Later  such  as  the  following  may  be  learned : 

Stevenson,  R.  L.  :  The  Wind ;  The  Rain ;  Where  Go  the 
Boats. 

RossETTi,  Christina  ;  Who  has  seen  the  Wind ;  Boats  Sail 
on  the  Rivers. 


GRADE  ONE  35 

TE>rNYSOx,  Alfred  :  Little  Birdie. 
Watts,  Isaac  :  The  Busy  Bee. 

Field,  Eugexe  :   The  Rock-a-by  Lady  ;  Wynken,  Blynken, 
and  Nod. 

Browning,  Robert  :  Pippa's  Song  (from  "  Pippa  Passes  "). 
KixGSLEY,  Charles  :  The  Lost  Doll. 

Poems  which  are  significant  at  certain  seasons,  or 
on  special  days  and  occasions,  such  as  fall,  winter, 


x^c/^77t/fU/L/7m 


FIRST-GRADE  ORIGINAL  C0:\IP0SITI0N.    SIXTH  AND 
SEVENTH  MONTHS 

Christmas,  after  a  snow  or  frost,  etc.,  should  be  used 
at  such  times.  vSelections  that  call  the  attention 
of  the  child  to  the  beauties  and  grandeur  of  nature 
should  also  be  given  a  place. 

Two  poems  are  given  below  with  suggested  sets 
of  questions  that  may  be  used  to  arouse  interest 
in  the  poem,  to  teach  the  thought  involved,  and  to 
intensify  the  mental  pictures  contained. 


36     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

LITTLE  BOY  BLUE 

Little  Boy  Blue,  come  blow  your  horn ! 

The  sheep 's  in  the  meadow,  the  cow 's  in  the  corn. 

Where 's  the  little  boy  that  looks  after  the  sheep  ? 

He 's  under  the  haystack,  fast  asleep. 

Will  you  wake  him  ?   No,  not  I ; 

Eor  if  I  do,  he  '11  be  sure  to  cry.  — Mother  Goose 

QUESTIONS 

Why  is  the  little  boy  called  Boy  Blue?  Where  does  he  live? 
What  work  has  his  father  given  him  ?  Where  should  the  sheep  be  ? 
Where  should  the  cow  be?  What  harm  will  they  do?  Where  is 
Little  Boy  Blue?  What  tells  you  he  is  in  the  country?  What  time 
of  the  year  do  you  think  it  is  ?  Why  ?  How  does  the  farmer  care 
for  his  sheep  and  cows  in  summer? 

THE  RAINi 

The  rain  is  raining  all  around, 

It  falls  on  field  and  tree, 
It  rains  on  the  umbrellas  here. 

And  on  the  ships  at  sea. — Robert  Louis  Stevenson 

QUESTIONS 

Who  is  talking  in  the  poem  ?  Where  is  he  ?  What  does  he  see  ? 
(Here  have  the  complete  picture  described  —  the  little  boy  inside 
standing  at  a  window,  looking  out  across  a  field  with  a  tree  in  it 
to  a  street  where  peoj^le  are  walking  and  across  to  the  ships  on  the 
ocean.)  Shut  your  eyes  and  see  the  picti^re.  Imagine  you  hear  the 
raindrops.  What  does  the  rain  fall  on  ?  Tell  me  about  a  trip  you 
took  in  the  rain. 

2.  Dramatization.  Stories  and  poems  in  which 
the  dramatic  element  predominates  may  be  rendered 
in  the  form  of  plays  with  great  profit  and  delight 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


GRADE  ONE    . 


37 


to  the  children.  This  work  has,  within  the  past  ten 
years,  come  into  special  prominence  in  the  primary 
grades  as  an  approved  type  of  language  >\^ork.  The 
imitative  and  play  instinct  is  especially  strong  in 
children.  In  allowing  this  instinct  to  assert  itself 
the  teacher  will  do  much  to  develop  the  imagination 
and  to  assist  the  child  in  overcoming  much  of  his 
timidity  and  self-consciousness,  which  are  likely  to 


MOTHER  GOOSE  PLAY  GIVEN  BY  FIRST-GRADE  CHILDREN 

be  abnormal  during  the  first  year  at  school.  The 
success  of  the  work  depends  on  the  perfect  freedom 
exercised  by  the  children. 

The  story  to  be  dramatized  should  be  read  aloud 
by  the  teacher  two  or  three  times.  This  should  be 
followed  by  a  discussion  of  the  thought  and  charac- 
ters involved.  The  children  should  be  led  to  decide 
what  characters  are  necessary  to  act  the  play  and 
how  it  may  be  staged   in  the  schookoom.   Where 


38     LANGUAGE  AVOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


^variations  or  additions  are  to  be  made  in  the  dia- 
logue, the  children  should  be  led  to  do  the  work ;  or, 
in  a  play  based  on  a  story  that  does  not  have  any 
dialogue  in  it,  the  dialogue  may  be  entirely  made  up 
by  the  children.  Originahty  should  be  exercised  in 
^ this  work,  and  the 


extent  to  which 
this  shall  be  done 
should  steadily  in- 
crease from  grade 
to  grade. 

Two  renderings 
of  the  play,  with 
new  actors  the 
second  time,  are 
sufficient  for  the 
first  day.  This 
ought  to  be  re- 
peated the  next 
day,  or  perhaps 
a  little  later,  and 
again  in  a  week 
or  so,  that  the 
play  may  be  thor- 
pleasingly    without 


BAA,  BAA,  BLACK  SHEP:P 


oughly  mastered  and  given 
prompting.  If  the  play  is  rather  long,  a  single  act 
is  enough  to  be  attempted  each  day  until  the  whole 
is  ready  for  presentation.  The  teacher  must  remem- 
ber that  at  the  beginning  only  very  short  and  simple 
rimes  or  stories  should  be  used. 


GRADE  ONE  39 

Much  interest  may  be  aroused  by  having  the 
children  impersonate  the  characters  in  the  reading 
lessons  that  contain  considerable  direct  discourse. 
They  will  at  first  act  the  parts  as  they  read  them, 
and  later,  if  the  selection  is  interesting  and  not  too 
long,  they  may  dramatize  it. 

There  are  on  the  market  only  a  few  books  which 
contain  plays  suitable  for  the  lower  grades.  For  a 
list  of  such  books  see  page  257.  Mother  Goose 
rimes,  ^sop's  fables,  Grimms'  tales,  and  other  fairy 
stories  are  especially  good  for  this  work.  Nearly  all 
the  readers  in  the  lower  grades  contain  selections 
that  may  be  dramatized. 

Two  short  rimes  are  dramatized  below  as  prac- 
tical examples  of  this  work : 

BAA,  BAA,  BLACK  SHEEP 

Baa,  baa,  Black  Sheep, 

Have  you  any  wool  ? 
Yes  sir,  yes  sir, 

Three  bags  full. 
One  for  my  master, 

And  one  for  my  dame. 
And  one  for  the  little  boy 

Who  lives  down  the  lane. 

Preliminary  Steps  :  After  learning  the  rime  the  children  are  led 
to  decide  what  characters  are  needed  for  the  play  and  what  chil- 
dren shall  represent  these  characters.  The  most  convenient  place 
in  the  schoolroom  is  chosen  for  the  play,  and  the  staging  is 
decided  upon. 

Characters  :  Black  Sheep,  Little  Boy,  Little  Girl,  and 
several  other  Children. 


40     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

ScENK  :  A  group  of  Children  playing  on  a  lawn  (space  in  front  of  the 
teacher's  desk)  as  Black  Sheep  is  seen  walking  up  the  road  (aisle). 

Black  Sheep.    [  Walking  down  the  voadT^    Baa,  baa  ! 

Little  Girl.    Oh,  I  hear  a  sheep ;  let 's  go  see  him. 

[Little  Boy  and  Little  Girl  run  to  the  gate.'] 

Little  Girl.    Good  morning,  Black  Sheep. 

Little  Boy.  Good  morning,  Black  Sheep,  have  you  any 
wool? 

Little  Girl.    Have  you  much  wool  ? 

Black  Sheep.  Yes  ma'am,  yes  sir,  three  bags  full :  one 
for  my  master,  and  one  for  my  dame, -and  one  for  the  little 
boy  who  lives  down  the  lane. 

Little  Boy.    Won't  the  master  be  glad ! 

Little  Girl.  Yes,  and  the  dame  will  make  a  nice  sweater 
and  a  warm  dress  out  of  the  wool. 

Little  Boy  and  Little  Girl.  \_Clap2jlng  their  hands']  l"ou 
are  the  best  sheep  in  the  world  ! 

Black  Sheep.    \_Starting  down  the  road]    Baa,  baa ! 

Little  Boy.    Good-by,  Black  Sheep. 

Little  Girl.  Come  back  to  see  us  sometime,  Black  Sheep. 
Good-by. 

Little  Boy  and  Little  Girl  return  to  lawn  and  rejoin  Chil- 
dren at  play.    All  the  Children  then  return  to  seats. 

LITTLE  BOY  BLUE 

Little  Boy  Blue,  come  blow  your  horn ! 

The  sheep 's  in  the  meadow,  the  cow 's  in  the  corn. 

Where 's  the  little  boy  that  looks  after  the  sheej)  ? 

He 's  under  the  haystack,  fast  asleep. 

Will  you  wake  him  ?    No,  not  I ; 

For  if  I  do,  he  '11  be  sure  to  cry. 

Preliminary  Steps:   The  story  is  introduced  and  the  characters 
are  chosen  in  the  manner  shown  in  the  jjreceding  play. 

Characters  :  First  Child,  Second  Child,  several  boys  for  Cows, 
several  girls  for  Sheep,  Little  Boy  Blue,  a  Dog. 


GRADE  ONE 


41 


Scene  :  A  meadow  in  one  corner  of  the  room ;  a  cornfield  in  the 
opposite  corner.  Four  chairs  with  backs  inside  for  the  haystack 
in  the  meadow.  Little  Boy  Blue  lies  asleep  on  two  of  these 
chairs.  The  girls  in  the  corner  which  represents  the  meadow ; 
the'  boys  in  the  opposite  corner,  which  represents  the  cornfield. 


A  SCENE  FROM  LITTLE  BOY  BLUE 

Played  on  the  lawn  in  front  of  schoolhouse  by  first-grade  children 


First  Child  discovers  sheep  in  the  meadoiv  and  cow  in  the  corn. 
Walks  about  the  i-oom,  calling  Little  Boy  Blue 

First  Child.  Little  Boy  Blue,  0  Little  Boy  Blue,  come 
blow  your  horn;  the  sheep's  in  the  meadow  and  the  cow's 
in  the  corn. 

[First  Child  meets  Secoxd  Child.] 

First  Child.    HaYe  you  seen  Little  Boy  Blue  an}- where  ? 

Second  Child.  Yes,  he  is  here  under  the  haystack,  fast 
asleep. 

First  Child.    Will  you  wake  him,  please  ? 

Second  Child.  No,  not  I,  for  if  I  do,  he'll  be  sure  to 
cry. 


42     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

First  Child.    I  will,  then.   [Goes  to  Little  Boy  Blue  and 

shakes  htm']  Little  Boy  Blue,  0  Little  Boy  Blue, 

come  blow  your  horn ;  the  sheep 's  in  the  meadow 

and  the  cow 's  in  the  corn. 

[Little  Boy  HhVKJumjJS  iqy  and,  after  riibh'my  his  eyes 

a  inoment  as  if  crying,  blows  his  horn.] 

Little  Boy  Blue.    Toot-toot,  toot-toot. 

\_A  hoy  (the  Dog)  rushes  first  to  one  corner  and  then  to 
the  ot/ier,  driving  the  shee])  from  the  meadow  and 
the  cow  from  the  corn.  The  children  all  retire  to 
their  seats.] 

(The  three  parts,  First  Child,  Second  Child,  and  Little  Boy  Blue 
should  now  be  assigned  to  three  other  children  and  the  play  be  given 
a  second  time.) 

3.  Language  Games.  Didactic  teaching  seldom 
reaches  the  young  child,  because  a  natural  interest  is 
hard  to  arouse  in  this  way.  The  most  effective  efforts 
at  this  stage  are  those  that  utilize  the  play  instinct 
in  child  life.  Nearly  all  growth  in  language  power 
comes  when  the  interest  is  high,  as  it  is  when  the 
play  element  is  introduced  into  school  work. 

For  these  reasons  the  language  game  is  a  most 
effective  means  of  getting  children  to  speak  correctly 
without  knowing  that  this  is  the  teacher's  purpose. 
It  is  intended  merely  to  supplement  the  regular  lan- 
guage work,  and  should  be  looked  upon  by  the  chil- 
dren as  play  and  nothing  else.  It  may  be  effectively 
used  in  the  first  three  grades  and  sometimes  in  the 
fourth,  and  is  so  planned  that  every  child  in  the  class 
may  have  a  part  in  the  play  work. 

The  teacher  should  keep  a  record  of  the  common- 
est mistakes  made  by  the  children  and  should  plan 


GRADE  ONE  43 

the  games  so  as  to  correct  these.  The  following  mis- 
takes will  very  likely  be  heard:  'come'  for  'came'; 
'  seen '  for  '  saw  ' ;  '  set '  for  '  sit ' ;  '  done  '  for  '  did  ' ; 
'run '  for  'ran' ;  '  laid  '  for  'lay' ;  ' has  rang'  for  '  has 
rung  ' ;  '  ain't '  for  '  is  n't,'  '  are  n't,'  or  '  am  not ' ; 
'I've  got'  for  'I  have';  'It's  me'  for  'It's  I'; 
'  them'  for  '  those' ;  double  negatives;  plural  subjects 
with  singular  verbs. 

These  language  games,  each  of  which  can  be  played 
in  a  very  few  minutes,  may  be  used  to  fill  in  at  any 
odd  time.  The  best  results  are  achieved  if  the  chil- 
dren are  allowed  to  play  the  games  as  a  reward  for 
work  well  done  or  as  a  means  of  recreation.  There 
are  on  the  market  only  two  books  that  outline  for  the 
teacher's  use  games  of  this  character  (see  p.  256  for 
the  names  of  these). 

To  correct  '  Aint.'  One  child  is  asked  to  think  of 
a  word,  as,  for  example,  'cat.'  He  says,  "I  am  think- 
ing of  a  word  that  rimes  with  '  cat.'  Jim,  what  is 
it?"  "Is  it  'rat'?"  is  the  reply.  "No,  it  isn't 
'  rat,'  "  rephes  the  leader.  He  continues  giving  this 
answer  until  some  one  guesses  the  word  he  has  in 
mind,  which  may  be  '  fat,'  or  '  mat.'  The  child  that 
guesses  the  word  becomes  the  next  leader. 

To  correct  'It's  Me'  After  the  game  is  explained 
to  the  children,  one  child  is  asked  to  leave  the  room 
for  a  moment.  While  he  is  out,  let  someone  move 
the  teacher's  bell  or  eraser.  The  child  is  called  back 
and  begins  asking,  "  Who  moved  the  bell  ?  Was  it 
you.  Will  ? "    The  answer  is  probably,  "  No,  it  was 


44     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

not  I."  The  questions  are  continued  until  the  right 
person  is  asked,  when  the  answer  is,  ''  Yes,  it  was  I." 
Another  child  is  then  asked  to  leave  the  room  and 
the  performance  is  repeated.  This  game  may  be  varied 
in  such  a  way  as  to  emphasize  the  use  of  all  the 
nominative  cases  of  pronouns  after  copulative  verbs. 


LANGUAGE  GAME  TO  CORRECT  'HAVE  GOT' 


To  correct  '  Have  Got!  The  children  may  be  asked 
to  bring  to  school  some  morning  as  many  flowers, 
weeds,  or  bits  of  shrubbery  as  they  can.  These  are 
placed  on  a  table,  and  each  child  is  asked  to  pick 
up  one  of  the  plants.  When  this  has  been  done,  they 
are  asked  to  tell,  one  by  one,  what  plant  they  have. 
The  answers  will  be  such  as  "  I  have  a  rose"  or  "  I 
have  a  ragweed."    This  is  good  nature-study  work. 

In  an  observation  covering  two  months  the  critic 
teachers  in  one  of  the  largest  normal-school  training 


GRADE  OXE  45 

schools  in  the  United  States  found  the  following 
mistakes  common  among  the  children  in  the  first 
three  grades : 

1.  Objective  case  used  as  subject  of  finite  verb: 
Henry  and  me  are  going. 

2.  Objective  case  after  copulative  verbs  with  sub- 
ject nonnnative  :  It  is  me.    Was  that  Mm  ? 

3.  False  agreement  of  subject  and  verb :  The  boys 
is  gone. 

4.  False  agreement  of  pronoun  and  antecedent : 
Every  boy  got  their  apple. 

5.  Adjectives  for  adverbs :   She  sees  good. 

6.  Nominative  case  after  transitive  verbs :  She 
told  Mary  and  /.     Who  did  you  see? 

7.  Nominative  case  after  prepositions :  He  gave 
it  to  you  and  /. 

8.  Errors  in  verb  forms  :  '  Seen '  for  '  saw  ' ;  '  lay ' 
for  '  lie  ' ;  '  done  '  for  '  did  ' ;  '  sung '  for  '  sang ' ; 
'  knowed '  for  '  know ' ;  '  brung '  for  '  brought ' ;  '  come ' 
for  'came';  'don't'  for  'doesn't';  'ain't'  for  'isn't' 
or  '  are  n't.' 

/ 
II.   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Origestal  Expression 

Not  until  the  latter  part  of  the  year  should  the 
child  be  expected  to  put  into  written  form  any  state- 
ments of  his  own  composition.  After  he  has  learned 
to  write  a  little  by  copying  words  and  sentences 
from  the  board  or  from  the  primer,  and  has  made  up 


46     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

original  sentences  with  letter  cards  and  word  cards,  he 
may  be  led  to  write  short  sentences  of  his  own  com- 
position on  the  board  or  with  soft  pencil  on  unglazed 
paper.  A  story  or  poem  previously  learned  may  offer 
ideas  for  the   sentences.     Pictures  of  action  and  of 

0 

f 


FIRST-GRADE  COPYING  WORK.     FIFTH  MONTH 

animal  life  may  also  be  used  for  this  purpose.  In 
this  work  the  child  should  always  be  required  to 
use  script. 

Imitative  Expeession 

In  this  grade  the  child  should  learn  to  write  his 
own  name  and  home  address.  After  a  few  months 
he  should  also  have  considerable  practice  in  copying 
script  sentences  from  the  l^oard  or  from  tlie  j^rimer. 
Toward  the  close  of  the  year  short  sentences  may  be 


\\  ^, 


nfili  i/lijiu 


J.MiirOojyMjiiJ 
fi 


0, 


^j-uhljfj  lunmtj. 


FIRST-GRADE  OIUGINAL  COMPOSITION  WORK.     EIGHTH  MONTH 


47 


48     LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

dictated  to  the  children  by  the  teacher.  These  sen- 
tences may  be  written  on  the  board  or  on  unglazed 
paper. 

III.   GENERAL  WORK 
Desk  Work 

1.  Word  Cards.  After  the  children  have  learned 
a  number  of  words  in  the  early  part  of  the  year, 
sentences  may  be  composed  at  the  desks  with  cards 


I^aJuCJCtx^  cJA^^-^t^-\juy^  oon^y^jiJCo 

HECTOGRAPH  AND  COPYING  WORK.    SIXTH  MONTH, 
FIRST  GRADE 


GKADE  ONE  49 

on  which  these  words  are  written  or  printed.  Any 
teacher  can  make  in  a  short  time  enough  of  these 
cards  for  a  small  class.  They  may  be  made  out  of  man- 
ila  paper  of  postal-card  weight,  which  costs  only  five 
cents  a  square  yard,  or  eight  cents  for  heavier  weight. 
The  following  directions  give  in  detail  the  method 
of  making  word  cards :    "  Take   a  piece  of  manila 


LITTLE  BOY  BLUE 

Desk  work  with  scissors 


paper  and  mark  it  off  with  a  pencil  into  spaces  one 
by  one-half  inch.  In  the  spaces  write  with  pen  and 
ink  the  words  as  they  are  learned.  Make  at  least 
as  many  duplicates  of  this  sheet  as  3^ou  have  pupils. 
Cut  up  the  sheets.  Put  each  full  set  of  words,  with 
a  number  of  duplicates,  into  an  envelope  or  a  spool 
box,  upon  which  you  have  written  the  child's  name. 


50     LANGUAGE  AVORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Add  to  these  sets  as  the  list  grows.  Words  that 
begin  with  capitals  in  the  sentences  given  on  the 
blackboard  or  strips  should  appear  in  the  same 
form  on  the  cards.  The  word  with  the  small  initial 
letter  (if  it  is  not  a  proper  noun)  can  be  given  later." 
In  rural  schools  where  four  or  more  grades  are 
taught  by  one  teacher  the  work  may,  as  a  rule,  be 
inspected  at  the  desks  by   older  pupils.     This  will 


a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

a 

A 
B 

A 

A 

A 

A 

A 

h 

b 

lb 

b 

b 

b 

B 

B 

B 

B 

B 

c 

c 

c 

c 

c 

c 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

C 

d 

a 

d 

d 

d 

d 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

D 

e 

e 

e 

e 

e 

e 

E 

E 

E 

E 

E 

E 

Front 


Back 


LETTER-CARD  SHEET 


The  best  letter-card  sheets  have  capitals  on  one  side  and  small  letters 
on  the  other 


save  the  teacher  much  time.  After  pupils  can  read 
print  well,  desk  work  may  be  provided  by  cutting 
up  old  readers  that  contain  large  print.  Before  being 
cut  up,  the  printed  page  should  be  pasted  on  stiff 
paper  to  give  it  greater  firmness. 

2.  Letter  Cards.  After  the  children  have  learned 
to  read  simple  sentences  and  know  the  letters  of  the 
alphabet,  they  may  spend  some  of  their  spare  time 
at  the  desks,  building  up  short  sentences  with  letter 


GRADE  OXE 


51 


cards.  At  first  the  sentences  should  be  copied  from 
the  board  or  from  the  j)nmer.  Short  rimes  learned 
by  the  children  may  also  be  used.  Toward  the  latter 
part  of  the  year  the  children  may  compose  original 
sentences  suggested  by  some  story  or  rime  previously 
learned,  or  even  by  a  picture  of  action  or  of  animal  life. 


an  amiiiB  am  m 

SnOQ  QIBKKni 


Q  DO  OB  j 


BED  -QBB 

msa  tswssn  i 


FIRST-GRADE  WORK  WITH  LETTER  CARDS,  CORRELATING 
LANGUAGE  AND  NATURE  STUDY 


The  letter-card  work  is  an  excellent  way  to  intro- 
duce spelling  in  the  form  of  play,  for  no  misspelled 
words  should  be  passed  without  correction.  All  sen- 
tences must  begin  with  capital  letters  (cards  may  be 
obtained  that  have  capitals  on  the  reverse  side,  and 
the  teacher  can  simply  turn  the  first  letter  over  to 
correct  this  mistake),  and  a  period  should  always 
be  placed  at  the  close.    By  the  plan  suggested  above 


.   mtsBBomm 

;-'"     'OQOIID  aOQQ 

'   mm  mwm 

msmmmmmm 
'msmm  mmm 

mmmm 


jasQ  mm 


QISi    Dili': 


nmi'^"^' 

i- 

■aWSG 

a 

^ 

ago 

B  en 


FIRST-GRADE  WORK  WITH  LETTER  CARDS,  CORRELATING 
LANGUAGE  AND  NATURE  STUDY 


52 


GRADE  ONE  58 

for  the  word  cards,  the  teacher  can  in  a  sliort  time 
make  enough  of  these  cards  for  a  small  class.  The 
printed  cards  will  cost  only  from  six  to  ten  cents  for 
each  pupil  (for  information  as  to  where  these  cards 
may  be  purchased  see  p.  256). 

Technical  Matters 

Under  this  heading  will  be  given  from  grade  to 
grade  such  technical  matters  as  the  child  should, 
during  the  year,  learn  to  use  correctly  in  his  oral 
and  written  language. 

1.  Capitals :   at  the  beginning  of  each  sentence,  the  pro- 

noun   '  I,'  and  the  first  letter  in  each  word  of  the 
child's  name  and  home  address. 

2.  Punctuation :  period  at  the  end  of  each  sentence. 

3.  Verb  forms :    correct  use  of  ^  is '  and  '  are,'  '  was '  and 

^  were,'  and  all  forms  that  are  commonly  misused. 


GRADE  TWO 

I.    ORAL  LANGUAGE  AVORK 

Original  Expressiox. 

1.  Conversation  Exercisfs. 

2.  Observation  Lessons  and  Reports. 

3.  Story-Telling. 

4.  Small   Beginning   in   Oral   Narration  of   Real   Experiences, 

Descriptions,  and  Simple  Exposition. 

Imitative  Expressiox. 

1.  Memorizing  Work. 

2.  Dramatization. 

3.  Langnage  Games. 

IL   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE   WORK 

Ui;i(iixAL  Expressiox. 

1.  Simple  Sentence  AVork  (early  part  of  year). 

2.  Small  Written  Compositions:  (a)  Simi:)le  letter  form :  (6)  Com- 

positions   involving    Narration,    Description,    and  Simple 
Exposition. 

Imitative  Expressiox. 

1.  Copying  Work. 

2.  Dictation  Exercises. 

in.    GENERAL  WORK 
Desk  Work. 
Vocabulary  Work. 
Techx^ical  Matters. 

5.5 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

As  outlined  in  tlie  first  year's  work,  oral  language 
should  receive  tlie  greater  emphasis  this  year.  The  work 
to  be  done  here  is  very  similar  to  that  outlined  for  the 
first  grade,  the  chief  difference  being  that  the  extent  and 
intensity  are  somewhat  increased.  ^Jlie  purpose  of  the 
year's  work  is,  therefore,  to  develop  the  ability  to  think 
to  a  definite  end  and  to  express  thought  in  reasona])ly 
correct  language.  By  the  end  of  the  year  the  child  should 
be  able  to  speak  or  Avrite  four  or  five  logically  related 
statements  on  one  subject.  In  the  written  work  a  kno\\'l- 
edge  of  certain  matters  pertaining  to  capitalization,  punc- 
tuation, and  form  should  be  demanded.  The  \vork  of 
correcting  bad  habits  of  speech  in  all  recitations  should 
be  kept  up  unceasingly  by  the  teacher.  The  correlation 
of  nature  study,  hygiene,  history,  local  geography,  etc. 
Avith  language  work  should  be  more  systematically  intro- 
duced in  this  grade  than  was  possible  in  the  first  year. 
If  the  language  work  of  this  year  is  a  success,  a  steady 
development  of  originality  and  spontaneity  in  thought 
and  its  expression  will  be  seen. 


56 


GRADE  TWO 

I.    ORAL  LAXGUAGE  AVORK 
Okiginal  Expreksiox 

1.  Conversafion  Exerckes.  Conversation  exercises 
should  be  continued  this  year  along  the  lines  sug- 
gested in  the  first  grade.  In  this  grade,  however, 
the  exercises  are  more  definitely  planned  to  achieve 
certain  given  ends.  Special  periods  may  be  devoted 
to  discussions  of  matters  of  general  interest  to  the 
children,  such  as  the  circus,  the  county  fair,  the  first 
frost  or  snow,  the  overflowing  of  the  river,  Christ- 
mas, etc.  Matters  connected  with  good  manners  and 
correct  personal  habits  should  also  be  given  a  place 
here.  In  the  discussion  of  these  various  subjects  effec- 
tive correlation  of  civics,  hygiene,  local  geography, 
history,  etc.  may  be  obtained. 

In  this  grade  conversation  is  both  a  means  and  an 
end.  Besides  its  purpose  described  above,  it  is  the 
means  by  which  the  various  types  of  language  w^ork, 
as  well  'as  the  recitations  in  all  other  branches,  are 
introduced.  Better  results  will  be  achieved  in  all  of 
the  recitation  work  throughout  the  eight  grades  if 
the  teacher  can  make  the  pupils  lose  sight  of  the 
formal  side  of  the  recitation  and  feel  that  they  are 

57 


58     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


simply  talking  with  the  teacher  and  with  each  other 
about  the  various  topics  that  arise. 

Correct  and  complete  statements  should  continue 
to  be  the  goal  here,  as  in  all  grades  throughout  the 
course.  In  each  sentence  the  teacher  may  make  cor- 
rections by  giving 
the  child  the  cor- 
rect form,  or  the 
statement  as  it 
should  have  been 
made,  and  requir- 
ing him  to  repeat 
it  in  tliat  form. 

2.  Observafion 
Lessons  and  Be- 
jjorfs.  The  work 
begun  in  the  first 
grade  should  be 
continued  in  the 
second  grade.  The 
reports  should  be 
given  in  free  con- 
versational style, 
producing  simple 
work  in  narration, 
description,  and  exposition.  The  life  and  industries 
of  each  community  will  afford  abundant  material  for 
observation  in  this  work.  The  world  of  nature  affords 
great  opportunities  for  training  in  observation,  while 
in    rural   districts   much    elementary   knowledge    of 


PICTURES     WILL    DEVELOP    GREATER    IN- 
TEREST IN  CONVERSATION  AND  ORIGINAL 
STORY  COMPOSITION 


GRADE  TWO 


59 


agriculture  and  farm  activities  may  be  taught  in  this 
way.  Pictures  may  be  effectively  used  in  this  work, 
as  suggested  in  the  first  grade.  More  detailed 
descriptions  of  the  objects  in  the  pictm^es  should  be 
expected  here. 

3.  Story-Tdl'uKj.    The    directions    given    for   this 
work  in  the  hrst  grade  will,  with  some  exceptions, 


SECOND-GRADE  COJsWERSATION  AND  ORAL  EXPOSITION 

Subject,  flowers,  which  have  been  gathered  at  recess 


serve  equally  well  here.  The  language  should  be 
more  correct  and  the  sentences  more  carefully  formed. 
Stories  of  greater  length  may  be  learned,  and  the 
children  should  show  a  better  grasp  of  the  story  as 
a  whole.  The  stories  should  be  thoroughly  studied, 
and  for  this  reason  too  many  of  them  should  not  be 


60     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

attempted.  It  would  be  well  to  dramatize  nearly  all 
the  stories  learned  during  the  year.  Whenever  possi- 
ble, it  is  very  interesting  and  profitable  to  have  the 
children  illustrate  the  stories  by  drawings,  clay  model- 
ing, cuttings,  etc.  This  is  especially  desirable  when 
the  stories  are  written  by  the  children. 

It  is  important  that  some  attention  be  given  to 
the  telling  of  original  stories  during  this  year.  Pic- 
tures of  stories  previously  learned  may  furnish  the 
characters  and  even  the  ideas  for  the  new  story.  A 
good  plan  is  for  the  teacher  to  read  a  few  lines  of 
a  new  story  and  have  different  children  suggest  a 
possible  conclusion  for  it. 

The  sources  of  stories  to  be  used  in  this  grade  are 
almost  the  same  as  those  indicated  in  the  first  grade. 
Stories  from  ^sop,  Grimm,  and  Andersen,  and  folk 
stories  and  mythological  tales,  are  most  suitable. 
Stories  that  have  been  read  in  the  regular  reader 
or  in  supplementary  readers  may  be  used  in  this 
work,  while  those  learned  during  the  previous  year 
should  be  repeated  from  time  to  time. 

The  following  stories  are,  in  length  and  subject 
matter,  suitable  for  use  in  this  grade : 

^sop  :  The  Two  Frogs,  The  Grasshopper  and  the  Ant,  The 
Mice  in  Council,  The  Eox  and  the  Crow,  The  Wind  and  the 
Sun,  The  Rat  and  the  Elephant,  The  Wolf  and  the  Lamb. 

AxDEKSEx :  The  Daisy,  The  Fir  Tree,  The  Flax,  The  Ugly 
Duckling,  The  Steadfast  Tin  Soldier,  The  Snow  Man. 

Grimm  :  The  Queen  Bee,  The  Six  Swans,  The  House  in  the 
Wood,  Briar  Rose,  The  Elves  and  the  Shoemaker. 

Bible  :  Daniel  in  the  Lions'  Den. 


GRADE  TWO  61 

LoNGP^ELLow,  H.  AV. :  Hiawatha's  Cliildliuod. 

Miscellaneous  :  Robin  Hood,  Alexander  and  Bucephalus, 
The  ]>lind  Men  and  the  Elephant,  The  Story  of  AVilliani  Tell, 
Bruce  and  the  Spider. 

The  following  outline  suggests  a  possible  method 
of  introducing  to  the  children  the  story  "  Little  Red 
Riding-hood." 

Children,  did  you  ever  see  a  little  cloak  with  a  hood  on  it  ? 
I  think  they  are  warm  and  jiretty,  don't  you  ?  I  used  to  have 
one  when  I  was  a  little  girl.  Would  you  like  to  hear  a  story 
about  a  little  girl  just  about  your  age  that  had  a  pretty  cloak 
with  a  little  red  hood  on  it  ?    Well,  I  will  tell  it  to  you. 

(Here  the  story  is  told.  Here  and  there  as  the  teacher  proceeds 
she  will  stop  to  ask  a  question  or  two  to  keep  the  attention  and  to 
impress  the  details  of  the  story.  Whenever  possible  it  is  always  better 
to  lead  the  children  to  ask  some  of  the  questions  and  to  discuss  the 
story.  The  following  questions  are  such  as  the  teacher  might  ask  as 
she  tells  the  story.) 

Don't  you  think  this  little  girl's  grandmother  was  good  to 
give  her  this  pretty  cloak  and  hood?  Why  did  they  call  her 
Little  Red  Riding-hood  ?  Do  you  think  she  was  glad  to  go 
to  her  grandmother's  ?    Why  ? 

Did  you  ever  see  a  wolf  in  a  circus  ?  No  ?  Well,  a  wolf 
looks  something  like  a  large,  shaggy  dog.  Would  you  like  to 
meet  one  in  the  woods  ?  Do  you  think  she  was  afraid  when 
she  met  him?  If  she  had  been,  would  she  have  stayed  to 
gather  flowers  after  he  left  her  ?    What  would  you  have  done  ? 

Are  n't  you  glad  the  men  came  in  time  to  save  Little  Red 
Riding-hood  ?  Do  you  think  she  ever  went  through  the  woods 
alone  again  ?  Do  you  like  the  story  of  Little  Red  Riding- 
hood  ?  You  do  ?  W^ell,  you  may  learn  it,  so  that  you  can  tell 
it  to  your  mother  and  father  at  home. 

4.  Oral  Coynjmsition.  Complete  oral  compositions, 
consistins;  of  from  three  to  live  statements,  nuvv  be 


62     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

expected  by  the  close  of  this  year.  While  this  work 
will  generally  be  followed  by  written  work  on  the 
same  subjects,  the  former  should  be  deliberately 
planned  as  an  end  in  itself.  Before  the  completed 
product  is  reached,  much  preliminary  conversation 
and  observation  will  l)e  found  necessary  in  order  to 
arouse  thought  and  to  bring  out  the  interesting  and 
important  ideas  that  should  find  a  place  in  the  fin- 
ished work.  To  develop  the  ability  to  arrange  the 
statements  in  pleasing  and  logical  sequence,  the  teacher 
should  frequently,  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  write 
on  the  ]3oard  a  series  of  questions  the  answers  to 
which  give  the  desired  product.  The  child  will  read 
the  questions  silently  and  then  answer  them  orally. 
In  this  work  much  valuable  information  about  nature, 
agriculture,  home  arts,  and  the  industrial  interests  of 
the  community  may  be  taught.  The  various  kinds  of 
subject  matter  involved  in  these  little  compositions 
may,  for  the  convenience  of  the  teacher,  be  outlined 
as  follows,  the  names  '  narration,'  '  description,'  and 
'  exposition '  never  being  used  in  directing  the  class- 
room work : 

a.  Narration.  Stories  are  especially  pleasing  to 
children.  From  the  repeating  of  stories  heard  or  read 
it  is  only  a  short  step  to  the  telling  of  actual  experi- 
ences. This  work  should  therefore  be  closely  asso- 
ciated with  story-telling.  To  this  end  the  watchful 
teacher  will  take  advantage  of  every  happening  of 
interest  in  the  life  of  each  child.  It  may  be  a  visit  to 
a  relative  at  a  distance,  a  fishing  trip,  a  picnic,  an 


(IRADK  TWO 


68 


afternoon  in  the  park,  a  party  at  a  friend's  iionie,  a 
day's  work,  or  any  other  happening  of  interest. 

b.  Description.  Work  in  description,  wliich  was 
attempted  in  the  hrst  grade  on  a  very  small  scale 
only,  may  now  be  made  interesting  and  profitable 
to  the  children.  Whenever  possiljle,  the  object  being 
described  should  be  placed  before  the  eyes  of  the  chil- 
dren, though  this  is  not  absolutely  essential.  The 
schoolroom    offers 

a  variety  of  objects 
with  which  to  be- 
gin ;  later  the  chil- 
dren may  describe 
things  seen  in  a 
few  moments  spent 
out  of  the  school- 
room for  recreation 
or  for  observing 
the  state  of  the 
weather.  Pictures 
of  animals  and  of 
action,  or  colored 
pictures  of  birds,  plants,  etc.,  may  be  found  useful 
(for  a  list  of  suitable  pictures  see  p.  263).  The  ol^ser- 
vation  lessons  Avill  offer  much  material  for  this  work. 

c.  Exposition.  The  kind  of  exposition  that  will  be 
attempted  in  the  lower  grades  is  that  which  presents, 
in  a  simple  way,  interesting  facts  of  general  informa- 
tion about  a  subject  closely  associated  with  the  life  of 
the  children.    Whenever  possible  the  objects  should 


>ij  uM)  liUADE  STEXCIL  WORK 

Done  in  connection  with  a  written  repro- 

(lurtion  of   ^Esop's  fable    "The   Fox   and 

the  Crow  " 


64     LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 


be  before  the  eyes  of  the  cliildreu  as  tliey  talk  about 
them.  Where  this  is  impossible,  pictm^es  may  supply 
the  lack.    An  ear  of  corn,  for  example,  may  be  used 

to  develop  a  dis- 
cussion as  to  the 
uses  of  corn,  meth- 
ods of  preparation 
for  food,  where 
grown,  how  mar- 
keted, etc.  After 
general  discussion 
in  free  conversa- 
tional style,  in- 
dividual children 
should  1)6  asked 
to  give,  in  a  ie^Y 
statements,  some 
of  the  interesting 
points  that  have 
been  brought  out. 
Such  subjects  as 
how  to  sj)in  a  top, 
how  to  weave  a  mat,  how  to  study  a  spelling  lesson, 
may  be  given  a  place  in  this  w^ork. 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Memorizhuj  Work.  This  w^ork  should  be  con- 
tinued according  to  the  directions  given  in  the  first 
grade.  Selections  of  greater  length  and  more  diffi- 
cult  subject   matter   may   be    gradually  introduced. 


SHOEING   THE  BAY  MAKE 
(After  Landseer) 
Pictures  of  familiar  scenes  are  effective  in 
primary  ]ano:uage  work 


GRADE  T\^■()  65 

The  children  should  frequently  be  allowed  to  repeat 
poems  learned  during  the  preceding  year.  This  may 
be  done  when  some  idea  brings  to  mind  one  of 
these    poems. 

The  following  poems  are  suitable  for  memorizing 
in  this  grade : 

.Shekmax,  F.  D.  :  Daisies. 

Stevexsox,  E.  L.  :  Autumn  Fires  ;   Winter  Time. 
Jacksox,  H.  H.  :  September. 

Texxysox,  Alfkei)  :  The  Bee  and  the  Flower;  The  I'Avd 
and  its  Xest. 

CooLiDGE,  SusAx :  How  the  Leaves  Came  Down. 

Allixgham,  William  :  Robin  Redbreast. 

Field,  Eugexe  :  The  Sugar  Plum  Tree. 

Cooper,  Geokge  :  Autunni  Leaves. 

Rossetti,  Chkistixa  :  ^Milking  Time. 

For  literary  gems  and  poems  see  Appendix  J  5. 

The  following  is  a  lesson  plan  for  the  teaching  of 
a  poem  suited  to  this  grade : 

TCLirs 

Cold  and  crimson  tulips. 

Lift  your  bright  heads  U}), 
Catch  the  shining  dewdrops 

In  your  dainty  cu])S. 
If  the  birdies  see  you 

W^hile  they  're  flying  by, 
They  wiU  think  a  sunset 

Dropped  from  out  the  sky. 

1.  The  teacher  reads  the  entire  poem,  asking  such  questions 
as  the  following  :  How  many  of  you  have  seen  tulips  ?  What 
shajie  are  they  ?    Show  us  with  your  hands  the  shape  of  the 


6C)     LANGUAGE  \\'OKK  IX  ELEMENT AEY  SCHOOLS 

tulip.  Can  you  think  now  why  we  say,  "  Catch  the  shining  dew- 
drops  in  your  dainty  cups  "  ?  How  does  the  dew  look  when  you 
see  it  early  in  the  morning  on  the  grass  ?  ^Vhy  Avill  the  birdies 
think  the  tulips  look  like  "  a  sunset  dropped  from  out  the  sky  "  ? 

2.  The  teacher  rereads  the  stanza  (usually  twice)  to  the 
children  and  has  them  close  their  eyes  to  form  the  pictures 
suggested  by  the  poem  as  it  is  read. 

3.  The  children  are  then  asked  to  describe  the  pictures.  The 
result  will  be  something  like  this  :  "  I  saw  a  beautiful  house  in 
the  center  of  a  large  yard,  and  on  one  side  of  the  house  was 
a  big  tulip  bed.  All  of  the  tulips  were  red^  and  yellow  and  were 
holding  their  heads  up.  They  were  shaped  like  dainty  cups, 
and  in  the  cups  were  dewdrops  which  were  sparkling.  After 
a  little  while  a  number  of  birds  flew  over  and  stopped  a  few 
seconds  as  if  they  were  looking  at  the  tulips." 

One  child  may  not  see  all  of  this  in  his  pictiu-e,  but  he  will 
see  some  part  of  it,  and  another  child  another,  etc.  At  times 
when  it  seems  difficult  for  the  children  to  make  the  pictures, 
the  teacher  might  say,  "  This  is  the  picture  which  this  poem 
brings  to  my  mind,"  proceeding  to  give  it. 

4.  The  first  two  lines  are  read  once  or  twice  to  the  children : 

Gold  and  crimson  tulips, 
Lift  your  bright  heads  up. 

Have  the  children  repeat  these  lines  first  in  concert,  and  then 
individually. 

5.  The  next  two  are  then  read  to  the  children : 

Catch  the  shining  dewdrops 
In  your  dainty  cups. 

Have  the  children  repeat  these  lines  as  before. 

6.  The  teacher  reads  the  four  lines  together  and  has  the 
children  repeat  them  as  suggested  before.  The  last  four  lines 
are  then  taken  up  in  the  same  manner.  After  this  is  done, 
the  whole  poem  is  repeated  in  concert  and  individually.  Most 
of  the  re]>etition  should  be  individual,  as  it  enables  the  teacher 
to  be  sure  that  the  children  are  getting  the  poem  correctly. 


GRADE  TWO 


67 


7.  This  ends  the  class  work  on  the  poem,  but  it  should  be 
repeated  often.  If  some  child  brings  a  tulip  to  school,  the 
teacher  may  say,  ''  Of  what  does  this  tulip  make  you  think  ?  " 
"  Yes,  it  brought  the  poem  about  the  tulips  to  my  mind  ;  let 
us  say  that  poem." 


2.  Dramatiza- 
tion. The  dii-ec- 
tions  given  for 
this  work  in  the 
first  grade  will, 
for  the  most  part, 
serve  equally  well 
here.  Only  short 
and  simple  stories 
should  be  drama- 
tized, although  of 
course  they  may 
be  a  little  longer 
than  those  played 
in  the  first  grade 
and,  in  addition, 
the  pla}dng  should 
be  more  realistic. 
Greater  orig;iual- 
ity     in      making 


THIS   Lrrn.E    faiky   is   ir:A<;i:i;   Td    n- 

THE   WONDERFUL  THINGS    SHE   DID    Wl 
HER   WAXD  IX  THE  PLAY 


LI. 
TH 


changes    and    ad- 
ditions in  the  dialogue  and  in  adding  new  characters 
should  also  be  expected  with  children  of  this  age. 

Two  kinds  of  stories  may  be  played  in  this  work. 
The  first  and  simplest  is  the  story  that  contains  all 


68     LAX(;UAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

or  nearly  all  of  the  dialogue.  The  other  kind  is  that 
in  which  very  little  direct  discourse  appears,  making 
it  necessary  for  the  children  to  invent  the  dialogue 
for  the  play.  In  all  cases  the  sequence  of  the  origi- 
nal, and  as  much  of  its  phraseology  as  possihle,  should 
be  preserved.  At  first  very  little  dialogue  should  be 
allowed  ;  in  fact,  the  children  should  speak  only  what 
they  cannot  act.  Later,  more  extensive  dialogue  will 
be  the  rule. 

Nearly  all  the  stories  learned  should  be  dramatized 
and  made  more  real  to  the  children.  Here,  as  in  the 
first  grade,  fables,  legends,  folk  stories,  etc.  are  most 
suitable  for  the  play  work.  The  following  fables 
from   ^Esop    are    simply  suggestive : 

The  Echo. 

The  Shepherd  r>oy  who  cried  Wolf. 

The  Dog  in  the  Manger. 

The  Fisherman  and  his  "Wife. 

The  Two  Frogs. 

The  Crow  and  the  Pitcher. 

The  following  is  a  practical  illustration  of  the 
dramatization  of  ^sop's  fable  "The  Shepherd  Boy," 
in  which  several  new  characters  are  added,  and  in 
which  the  dialogue  is  almost  all  new.  If  the  story 
has  not  been  previously  learned,  the  teacher  will  read 
or  relate  it  perhaps  twice,  asking,  after  the  reading 
or  reciting,  some  such  questions  as  the  following : 

What  did  the  shepherd  boy  do  ? 
How  did  he  try  to  amuse  himself  ? 

What  do  you  think  the  villagers  said  when  they  found  out 
the  boy  was  playing  a  joke  on  them? 


GRADE  TWO  (J9 

Did  tlaey  take  it  so  well  the  second  time  and  the  third 
time  ? 

What  happened  when  the  wolf  really  did  come  ? 
What  did  the  wise  man  say  to  the  boy  ? 

THE   SHEPHERD  BOY 

There  was  once  a  shepherd  boy  who  tended  his  sheep  in  a 
pasture  not  far  from  a  dark  forest.  He  was  told  to  cry  for 
help  if  the  wolf  appeared.  It  was  rather  lonely  for  him  all 
day,  so  he  decided  he  would  amuse  himself  in  some  way.  He 
thought  it  would  be  fun  to  cry  "  Wolf  !  wolf  I  "  and  see  the  vil- 
lagers who  were  cutting  wood  near  bj^  come  running  to  his  help. 

Three  times  the  villagers  were  startled  thus  and  ran  to 
the  boy's  help,  only  to  be  laughed  at.  Finally  the  wolf  really 
came,  but  when  the  boy  cried  loudly  for  hel}>,  the  men  did 
not  respond,  thinking  it  was  another  joke.  And  so  tlie  wolves 
killed  and  ate  a  number  of  the  sheep. 

A  wise  man  of  the  village  said  to  the  Ijoy, 

"The  truth  itself  is  not  believed 
From  him  who  often  has  deceived." 

Characters:  The  Boy,  several  small  children  for  Sheep,  two  or 
three  boys  for  Wolves,  several  boys  for  Villagers,  the  Wise  INIan. 

Scene  :  Pasture  to  right  of  teacher's  desk,  where  the  boy  and 
sheep  are  seen ;  the  woods  and  villagers  in  the  rear  of  room  to  left ; 
woods  and  wolves  in  rear  of  room  to  right. 

Boy.  It 's  very  lonesome  around  hei'e.  I  believe  I  will  have 
some  fun.  I  will  cry  "  Wolf !  "  and  see  the  men  rush  out  of 
the  woods  to  help  me.    [  Cries^  Wolf !  wolf ! 

Villagers.  \_Rushlng  iip'\  We  see  no  wolf.  Why  did  you 
deceive  us  in  this  way  ? 

Boy.    \_Smilmg'\  I  wanted  to  have  some  fun. 

[Villagers  reti(ni.'\ 
Boy.    Help  !  help !  the  wolf  is  coming. 

[^Onljj  three  Villagers  come.'\ 


70     LANGUAGE  AVOIIK  IX  ELEMENTAlfY  SCHGUL.S 

Villagers.  J^Anffr;/']  This  is  the  second  time  you  have  de- 
ceived us.    We  will  not  believe  you  if  you  call  for  heljD  again. 

[Villagers  retire.'] 
Boy.   Help  !  help !    The  wolf !  the  wolf ! 

\_Only  txoo  Villagers  vnme  fJils  time.] 

Villagers.    You  are  a  bad  boy.   AVe  will  not  come  to  help 

you  again.  [Villagers  retire.] 

Boy.    This  is  lots  of  fun.    [  Wolves  (/row/.]    There  come  the 

wolves,  sure  enough.    Help  !  help  !   The  wolf !  the  wolf ! 

[_The  Boy  rushes  to  the  woods  lohere  the  Villagers 
are.     The   Wolves  rush   up  and  earrij   off  several 
of  the  Sheep.] 
Boy,    Why  did  n't  you  come  when  I  called  ?    The  wolves 
are  killing  the  sheep. 
Wise  Max. 

The  truth  itself  is  not  believed 
From  him  who  often  has  deceived. 

^All  retire  to  seats.] 

3.  Language  Games.  Language  games  may  be  con- 
tinued in  this  grade  with  much  interest  and  profit. 
In  addition  to  the  game  whose  purpose  is  to  correct 
certain  definite  mistakes  in  speech,  others  of  a  more 
general  nature  may  be  introduced.  The  reader  will 
find  on  page  256  the  names  of  two  books  from  which 
suitable  material  may  be  chosen  for  the  work.  The 
following  are  examples  of  games  that  may  be  used 
in  this  grade. 

a.  Corrective  Games.  Some  of  the  games  played  in 
the  first  grade  may  be  repeated  here.  New  ones  in- 
tended to  correct  mistakes  commonly  heard  among 
the  children  in  this  grade  should  be  introduced.  The 
following  game  will  help  to  fix  '  I  have '  for  '  I  have 


GRADE  TWO  71 

got':  xV  child  is  sent  from  the  room.  A  piece  of  chalk 
or  other  small  article  is  placed  in  the  hands  of  some 
child  in  the  class,  and  each  child  is  asked  to  hold  his 
hands  as  though  he  had  the  hidden  article.  The  child 
that  retired  is  recalled  and  asks,  "John,  have  you 
the  chalk  ?  "  He  receives  the  answer,  "  No,  I  have  n't 


- 

■^p^j 

l^jFil^^H 

w^Jr^i 

i^ 

^m.  I  ^^^^^K  c9I^^^K'  Si^^^^H 

Wi 

1 

[fc*  MafMf  #^^f     iili2.  fl^g^l 

LANGUAGE  GAME  TO  CUKKECT     HAVE  GOT" 

it,"  until  the  person  who  has  it  is  guessed.    This  child 
then  retires  and  the  game  is  repeated. 

h.  llHiat  is  it  ?  This  game  develops  logical  thought 
and  expression.  The  teacher  says,  "  Children,  I  am 
thinking  of  something.  What  is  it?"  Questions  that 
require  the  answer  Yes  or  No  are  asked,  and  they 
must  be  such  as  narrow  the  field  of  possibilities,  as  "Is 
it  in  the  yard  ?  in  the  schoolroom  ?  on  the  teacher's 
table?    black?   round?"  etc.    The  teacher's  answers 


72     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

should  always  be  full  statenieuts  which  may  serve  as 
models  for  imitation.  When  the  object  is  located  and 
named,  the  game  may  be  repeated  several  times. 

c.  Picture  Game.  After  a  number  of  pictures  have 
been  used  in  various  kinds  of  language  work  and  are 
known  by  name,  the  children  may  use  them  to  play  a 
game  of  description.  After  each  child  has  chosen  a 
picture  and  has  studied  it  carefully  for  a  few  moments, 
the  pictures  are  hidden  or  turned  over.  Each  child  in 
turn  will  be  given  an  opportunity  to  describe  the 
picture  he  chose,  and  the  class  will  try  to  guess  which 
one  it  was.  In  order  to  make  the  game  interesting, 
the  children  should  know  by  name  at  least  eight  or 
ten  pictures. 

II.    WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 

OllIGINAL    ExPFvESSIOX 

1.  ^Sentence  Work.  In  this  grade  it  may  Ije  necessary 
to  spend  two  or  three  months  in  learning  to  compose 
the  single,  complete  sentence.  This  will  be  a  continua- 
tion of  similar  work  attempted  toward  the  close  of 
the  first  year's  work,  and  will  go  hand  in  hand  with 
letter-card  work,  which  should  be  continued  during 
the  first  half  of  the  second  year.  After  a  sul)iect  lias 
been  talked  about  in  the  class  for  a  few  moments, 
always  with  an  object  or  picture  before  the  eyes  of  the 
children  if  possible,  some  of  the  class  are  sent  to  the 
board  and  the  others  are  asked  to  write  at  their  seats. 
The  chief  object  is  to  have  a  single  complete  state- 
ment written  on   the  sul^ject,  but  after  a  time  the 


GRADE  TWO  73 

childreu  will  begin  of  tlieir  own  accord  to  compose 
more  than  one  sentence.  The  requirements  in  capital- 
ization, punctuation,  etc.  set  for  this  grade  should 
be  taught  in  connection  with  this  w^ork.  Misspelled 
words  should  always  be  corrected.  The  expression 
of  thought  in  complete,  correct  statements,  however, 
is  the  chief  purpose  of  the  work.  All  misspelled 
words  should  l)e  written  on  the  board  as  a  basis  for 
a  spelling  lesson  later. 

2.  a.  Letttr-Writiiuj.  Toward  the  latter  part  of 
this  year  a  small  beginning  in  the  mastery  of  the 
simple  letter  form  should  l)e  made.  Tn  this  grade  the 
body  of  tile  letter  will  usually  consist  of  about  three 
or  four  sentences.  From  half  to  three  fourths  of  the 
little  attempts  at  w^ritten  composition  work,  involv- 
ing narration,  description,  and  simple  informational 
exposition,  should  be  in  letter  form.  Subjects  dis- 
cussed in  the  observation  reports  and  conversation 
periods  will  offer  material  al^out  which  to  write.  The 
letters  may  be  addressed  to  father,  mother,  teacher, 
a  classmate,  or  anyone  else.  The  folloAving  letter  form 
shows  the  extent  of  the  requirements  for  this  3'ear. 

Dear  Mary, 


Your  friend, 

j\[abel  Smith 


h.  Shnple   JBeguuiintjs    at    Xarration.    IkscriptloH. 
and  Exposition.    After  the  letter-card  work  and  the 


74     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

composition  of  simple  statements  have  developed  a 
fair  ability  in  constructing  sentences,  the  children 
may  be  expected  to  write  little  compositions  of  from 
three  to  five  sentences  on  one  subject.  The  child 
will  take  great  pride  in  preparing  a  little  composi- 
tion that  is  to  be  handed  to  the  teacher.    After  the 


A^on^ 


SECONIVGRADE  ORIGINAL  COMPOSITION 

oral  discussion,  which  should  always  precede  the 
written  work,  has  put  the  child  in  possession  of 
many  facts  connected  with  the  subject,  the  teacher 
may  write  several  questions  on  the  board.  The  pupil, 
b}^  answering  these,  will  have  his  statements  arranged 
in  logical  sequence.  The  following  is  a  suggested 
series  on  the  subject,   "My  Father's  Horses": 

How  many  horses  has  your  father  ? 
What  color  are  they  ? 


GRADE  TWO  75 

HoAV  does  he  use  them  ? 

Do  you  ever  ride  on  any  of  them  ?  ^ 

What  do  they  eat  ? 

^^'ho  takes  care  of  them  ".' 

Do  you  like  horses  ? 

After  the  preliminary  oral  work  the  children  should 
mention  the  words  which  they  wish  to  use  in  the 
written  work  and  which   they  cannot  spell.     These 

lAJji-  .AJW^hjuL    (TV-Ay  JrC/Lo^^  jl^  lUlCto^ 

Kj^'rUi..^yy^       \jy^  ..yLMiJLA    jVi^JL.,'^--^^    (?-;^L-£^rt^    <3-Vt.6l  IxX 

.X^r-u^^^-U^  .c-v^  JiJ^jL^yy^  a-  ^J^jt_£jy  (Xyr'-cL  ou/tain. 
^V-6'C><-'v-uci  -v-^^ "'—JXur- oLl^~aA  fX'-v—u^   u/C  &~njL  Q,<^■t'^'^ 

SECOXD-GRADE  ORIGINAL  COMPOSITION,  LANGUAGE  AND  NATURE 
STUDY  CORRELATED 

are  placed  on  the  board,  that  misspelled  words  may 
be  as  few  as  possible.  The  children  should  be  tanglit 
to  leave  blank  spaces  for  words  they  cannot  spell. 
The  papers  should  be  taken  up,  and  all  mistakes  of 
importance  and    those   that   are  common  to  several 


76     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTAllV  SCHOOLS 

papers  should  be  discussed  with  the  class.  The  habit 
of  placing  the  subject  in  the  proper  place  in  the 
center  of  the  paper  at  the  top,  and  of  indenting  the 
first  line,  should  be  formed  from  the  first.  The  letter 
form  should  be  used  most  of  the  time  in  all  of  the 
written  work.  For  the  requirements  in  capitalization, 
punctuation,  etc.  see  Technical  Matters,  page  79. 

The  subject  matter  of  these  little  compositions  will 
consist  of  narration,  description,  and  informational 
exposition,  as  outlined  in  the  discussion  of  oral  com- 
position work.  Some  work  in  observation  reports 
and  in  writing  stoi'ies,  both  original  and  reproduced, 
may  also  be  given  here.  Full  directions  as  to  the 
choice  of  subjects  for  written  composition  work  were 
given  in  the  discussion  of  the  oral  work. 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Copying  Work.  This  work,  usually  done  at  the 
desks,  gives  practice  in  language  and  writing.  As 
a  language  drill  this  work  tends  to  impress  correct 
usage.  Sentences  and  sliort  passages  taken  from  the 
reader,  and  poems  that  are  being  memorized,  may' be 
copied  by  the  children.  From  time  to  time  sentences 
may  be  placed  on  the  board  with  blank  spaces  left, 
in  which  '  was  '  or  '  were,'  '  is  '  or  '  are,'  '  a '  or  '  an,' 
'  has  '  or  '  have,'  '  saw  '  or  '  seen,'  '  took  '  or  '  taken,' 
etc.  are  to  be  inserted  when  the  sentences  are  copied. 
Words  and  expressions  incorrectly  used  by  the 
children  should  be  made  the  basis  of  this  kind  of 
copying  work. 


(JKADE  TWO  77 

2.  Dictation  Work.  This  exorcise  teaches  correct 
usage  through  the  eye  and  the  ear  as  well  as  through 
the  motor  images  required  in  writing.    It  will  prove 

G  \)1*?\X  CtW^  Xl^  OtH)iV\\  AMxd\  m5T(\  . 

KEPKODUCED  STORY.    FIFTH  .MoXTII,  SECOND  GRADE 

a  valuable  aid  in  written  composition  Mork.  Sen- 
tences containing  troublesome  words,  and  the  correct 
forms  of  words  and  jjhrases  incorrectly  used  by  the 
children,  should  be  composed  by  the  teacher  or  chosen 


78     LANGUAGE  AVORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

from  some  good  source.  They  should  be  read  clearly 
and  slowly  ouce  or  twice,  and  the  children  at  the 
board  and  in  the  seats  are  expected  to  write  them 
from  memory.  For  this  work  the  board  should  be 
used  most  of  the  time,  and,  in  order  that  the  chil- 
dren may  not  be  tempted  to  copy,  it  would  be  well 
to  give  a  different  sentence  to  each  child  at  the  board. 
Frequent  drills  in  this  work  are  necessary.  The  sen- 
tences should  be  corrected  by  the  children  themselves 
if  possible.  The  teacher  should  keep  a  record  of  the 
words  most  commonly  misused  by  the  children,  and 
let  them  apjDear  often  in  the  sentence  dictated. 

III.    GENERAL  WORK 
Desk  Work 

The  use  of  letter  cards,  which  formed  so  prominent 
a  part  of  the  language  w^ork  in  the  first  grade,  may 
be  continued  during  the  first  half  of  this  year.  After 
the  reQ;ular  lans-uage  lesson  the  children  niav  be 
asked  to  compose  at  their  desks  with  the  letter  cards 
two  or  three  sentences  on  the  subject  discussed  in 
the  lesson.  If  there  is  not  enough  room  on  the  board 
for  all  the  children  to  write  the  sentences,  half  of 
them  may  remain  at  their  desks  and  compose  their 
sentences  with  letter  cards.  Later  in  the  year  ]3encil 
and  paper  may  be  used  instead.  All  sentences  com- 
posed with  the  cards  should  be  corrected  as  carefully 
as  those  on  the  board. 

As  suggested  above,  the  copying  work  is  done  as 
language  desk  work.    Children  may  prepare  at  the 


GRADE  TWO  79 

desks   illustrative  material  for  written  stories,   suck 
as  drawings,  stencil  Avork,  paper  cutting,  etc. 

Vocabulary'  Wokk 

In  this  grade  an  indexed  blank  book  in  which 
the  teacher  will  write  the  new  words  learned  from 
day  to  day  should  be  kept  by  each  pupil.  The  pupils 
should  be  urged  to  practice  writing  these  words  on 
paper  or  on  the  board  at  odd  times.  Drill  in  the 
meaning  and  use  of  these  may  be  given  from  time 
to  time,  and  when  the  pupils  need  a  word,  they  should 
be  required  to  find  it  in  their  homemade  dictionary. 

Technical  Matters 

In  addition  to  the  points  outlined  under  this  head 
in  the  first  grade,  the  following  should  be  mastered 
just  as  early  this  year  as  possible : 

1.  Capitals :  the  beginning  of  each  line  of  poetry ;  the  word 

*  0 ' ;  the  first  letter  in  the  names  of  days  of  the 
week,  months,  persons,  and  places,  and  in  common 
abbreviated  titles,  as  '  Mr.,'  '  Mrs.,'  '  Dr.' 

2.  Pttncttiation : 

a.    Period :  after  ver}-  common  abbreviations,  as  ^  ]\Ir.,' 

'Mrs.,'  'Dr.';  after  initials. 
Ji.    Question  mark':  after  interrogative  sentences. 
c.    Comma :  after  the  salutation  and  closing  phrase  in 

letters. 
i1.    Quotation  marks  :  with  unbroken  quotations. 

3.  Form :  proper  placing  of  headings  in  compositions,  and 

indentation  of  first  line ;  simple  letter  form. 

4.  Phirals :  ordinary  formation  by  adding  s  and  es. 

5.  Correct  Usage:  'a,'  'an';  'has,'  'have';  'to,'  'too,'  'two'; 

'  there,'  '  their ' ;  '  is,'  '  are ';  '  was,' '  were,'  etc. 


GRADE  THREE 

I.    ORAL  LAN(;UAGK   WOKK 

OpaoixAL  Expression. 

1.  Conversation. 

2.  Observatiou  Lessons  and  lieports. 
;].   llecitati(jn  by  Topics. 

4.  Story-Telling. 

5.  Oral  Compositions  involving  Narration,  I)esc-rij>ti(in,  Expo 

sition,  and  Argnnient. 

Imitative  Expukssjox. 
1.  Memorizing  Work. 
•J.   Dramatization. 
'■).   Langnage  (James. 

ir.    WKITTEX  LANGUAGE  AVOKK 

Okkjixal  Expkkssk »x. 

1.  Letter-AVriting. 

2.  Observation  Reports. 

3.  Compo.sitions   involving   Narration,  Description,  and   Expo- 

sition. 

I :\I ITA TI VE    EXPKESSK ) V. 

1.  Copying  Work. 

2.  Dictation  Exercises. 


in.    GENERAL  WORK 


Vocabulary  "Work. 
Technical  ^Matters 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

111  this  grade  written  language  work  becomes  more  im- 
portant, but  its  growing  prominence  should  not  put  oral 
work  in  the  background.  Systematic  instruction  in  oral 
language  should  be  kept  up  here  and  throughout  the 
whole  course.  Stated  written  exercises"  involvuig  the  para- 
graph as  the  unit  of  expression  should  be  given  about 
twice  each  week,  while  some  written  work  sliould  be  done 
almost  every  day.  Of  the  various  forms  of  written  work 
the  letter  is  the  most  important,  for  m  the  majority  of 
cases  it  is  the  form  in  which  the  little  narrations,  descrip- 
tions, and  expositions  should  be  written.  About  one  page 
of  note  paper  is  the  standard  of  achievement  for  the  com- 
position work  this  year.  In  all  language  work  the  children 
should  begin  to  give  evidence  of  a  language  conscience  as 
to  correctness  of  speech  and  elegance  of  phraseology.  The 
child's  eiforts  to  express  his  thoughts  at  any  time  should 
be  regarded  as  composition  and  guided  accordingly.  For 
this  reason  the  language  used  in  all  recitations  should  be 
given  careful  oversight.  Eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of 
safety  in  this  matter  here  as  well  as  in  all  other  grades. 


GRADE  Til  UK  1^] 

I.    ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Orioixal  Expression- 

1.  Conversation.  In  this  grade  and  above,  conver- 
sation will  be  a  means  rather  than  an  end  in  itself. 
It  will  be  the  means  by  which  the  regular  language 
work,  as  well  as  tliat  of  all  recitations,  will  be  intro- 
duced and  conducted.  The  language  used  by  the 
children  in  conversation  should  be  watched  more 
closely  than  ever  before.  As  in  the  second  grade, 
periods  may  occasionally  be  devoted  to  the  discussion 
of  matters  brought  before  the  class  in  the  observation 
work,  or  of  matters  of  general  interest  in  the  com- 
munity. These  periods  should  be  without  previous 
notice,  unless  some  investigation  is  necessary. 

2.  Observation  Lessons  and  Beports.  This  work  is 
a  continuation  of  that  suggested,  under  this  heading, 
for  the  first  and  second  grades.  In  this  grade  more 
difficult  subjects  are  assigned  and  more  careful  obser- 
vation is  required.  In  addition,  great  care  should  be 
taken  to  keep  the  children  from  confusing  fact  and 
fancy.  It  is  well  that  the  children  should  see  in  the 
drifting  clouds  a  hkeness  to  floating  ships  or  snow- 
capped mountains,  but  there  is  little  place  for  the 

83 


84     LANGUAGE  WOKK  IX  ELK.MEXTARY  SCHOOLS 

iiiiagiiuition  in  recording,  for  exaiiiple,  the  Iialjils  of 
a  bii'd  —  the  location  and  character  of  its  nest  or  the 
way  the  mother  bird  cares  for  the  yonng. 

In  the  choice  of  subjects  the  teacher  should  l)e 
guided  by  the  various  interests  and  industrial  activ- 
ities of  the  community.  The  out-of-door  world  is 
always  an  inexhaustible  source  of  material  for  obser- 
vation work.  For  example,  the  activities  of  the  civic 
league  (which  is  concerned  with  the  cleanliness  and 
sanitation  of  tlie  connnuuity)  and  of  the  Audu])on 
Society  (which  has  for  its  object  the  study  and  pro- 
tection of  ])ird  life)  are  interesting  and  of  great  value 
to  the  child  as  a  citizen.  Such  activities  are  wide  in 
scope  and  will  vary  greatly  with  different  connnrmi- 
ties.  It  is  not  necessary  that  societies  should  lie 
organized  among-  the  children,  but  it  is  well  for  them 
to  make  reports  on  their  observation,  investigation, 
and  study  along  these  lines. 

3.  Recitation  hy  Topics.  Toward  the  close  of  the 
year  a  small  beginning  in  having  the  children  recite 
by  topics  may  be  made.  This  will  be  a  good  drill  in 
expressing  ideas  in  logically  connected  statements. 
The  work  will  be  more  spontaneous  if  in  the  begin- 
ning the  child  is  allowed  to  choose  his  own  sub- 
ject; later  the  teacher  will  always  assign  the  topics. 
This  method  of  recitation  may  be  used  in  reading,  in 
observation  reports,  and  elsewhere.  Explanations  of 
the  processes  followed  in  solving  examples  in  arith- 
metic furnish  a  good  drill  in  making  statements  in 
logical  order. 


(rKAI)E  TIIKEE 


80 


4.  Storij-Tdlhuj.  The  learning  and  retelling  of 
classical  stories  should  Ije  continued  in  this  grade, 
but  work  in  original  creation  should  by  degrees  be 
given  a  place.  Literature,  pictures,  and  characters 
taken  from  nature  will  ])rovi(le  suitable  material  for 
the  original  story.  At  least  one  long  story,  which  is 
made  up  of  successive,  well-defined  units,  should  l)e 
read  and  told  bv  each  child  duriniJ"  tlic  vcar.     "  Tlie 


IMAXY  rXTERESTIXG  ro:\rP(lSrTION  SUB.JECTS  HERE 

King  of  the  Golden  River,"  by  Ruskin,  is  sug-Q-ested 
for  this  grade.  In  the  story-telling  the  teacher  should 
make  the  story  her  own  and  tell  it  to  the  class  again 
and  again.  After  learning  the  story  in  this  way,  the 
children  should  be  asked  to  repeat  it  many  times. 
Children  never  tire  of  good  stories  well  told  or  of 
telling  the  same  one  over  and  OA'er.  As  in  the  pre- 
vious grades,  not  more  than  six  or  eight  stories 
should  be  taught  during  the  year  for  the  purpose  of 


8G     LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

reproductiou.  The  teaclier  may  tell  many  others, 
ho^vever,  to  teach  lessons  of  various   kinds. 

The  story  work  of  this  grade  should  include  some 
stories  from  the  following  sources :  the  fairy  tales 
which  teach  truths  but  not  facts ;  the  old  folk  stories 
which  deal  simply  with  the  philosophy  of  life ;  and  the 
modern  animal  stories  from  Thompson  Seton,  Uncle 
Remus  (Joel  Chandler  Harris),  Long,  and  Kipling. 
These  animal  stories,  through  language,  style,  and 
form,  are  very  interesting  to  children  because  they 
humanize  the  animal  characters.  These  stories  are  edu- 
cative in  the  broadest  sense,  much  of  our  best  litera- 
ture being  based  upon  them.  The  stories  of  grand 
operas  also  are,  in  many  cases,  taken  from  folklore. 

The  following  stories  are  suitable  material  for 
this  grade : 

^sop  :  The  Fox  and  the  Goat ;  The  Hare  and  the  Tortoise. 

Ababiax  Nights  :  Sindbad  the  Sailor ;  Aladdin,  or  the 
Wonderful  Lamp ;  The  Fisherman  and  the  Genie. 

Andersex  :  The  Beetle ;  The  Snow  Man, 

Grimm  :  Strong  Hans  ;  The  Elves  and  the  Shoemaker. 

Dasext  :  ]>oots  and  his  Brothers ;  Why  the  Sea  is  Salt ; 
The  Land  East  of  the  Sun  and  West  of  the  Moon. 

Mabie,  H.  W.  :  The  Death  of  Balder;  Thor's  Journey  to 
Jotunheim. 

Setox,  Ernest  Thompson  :  Johnny  Bear. 

Kipling,  Rudyard  :  Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. 

Greek  Mythology  :  Venus  and  Adonis ;  The  Golden  Fleece ; 
Ulysses  and  the  Bag  of  Winds. 

Bible  :  Stories  of  David  and  Samuel. 

5.  The  task  of  leading  children  to  make  several 
connected  statements  on  a  given  subject  was  begun 


GKADE  THllEE  87 

iu  the  second  grade  and  should  be  continued  and 
enlarged  here.  Although  written  work  will  usually 
follow,  the  oral  work  should  be  planned  as  a  distinct 
end  in  itself.  Too  little  attention  has  been  paid  to 
oral  language  work  in  the  past,  and  as  a  result  a 
very  necessary  language  power  has  been  lost.  From 
four  to  six  statements  will  be  the  probable  length 
of  the  composition,  and  yet  quality  rather  than  quan- 
tity should  be  the  aim.  For  the  convenience  of  the 
teacher  the  w^ork  may  be  grouped  under  the  follow- 
ing heads,  but,  as  stated  before,  the  terms  '  narration,' 
'description,'  and  'exposition'  should  never  be  used 
in  directing  the  work. 

a.  Narration.  The  suggestions  made  for  this  work 
in  the  preceding  grade  will  be  useful  here.  Experi- 
ences of  other  persons  may  be  related  by  the  children 
in  this  grade,  war  stories  or  stories  of  life  in  earlier 
days,  told  by  father  or  grandfather,  being  examples. 
The  children  may  be  allowed  to  tell  a  few  imaginary 
experiences  to  train  the  imagination  and  to  develop 
constructive  ability. 

h.  Description.  The  suggestions  made  iu  the 
preceding  grade  will  be  useful  here.  The  work  of 
describing  objects  and  scenes  from  memory  may  be 
enlarged.  This  will  be  closely  related  to  the 
work  of  making  reports  on  observations.  Any  of  the 
pictm^es  suggested  for  primary  grades,  on  page  263, 
may  be  used  in  this  work. 

c.  Exposition.  The  work  outlined  for  the  preced- 
ing grade  should  be  continued,  with  a  proper  increase 


88    lax(;iv(;k  work  ix  elementary  schools 

in  intensity  and  extent.  Exposition  in  the  lower 
grades  will  necessarily  be  very  simple.  One  form  of 
oral  composition  that  may  be  introduced  in  this 
grade  with  interest  and  profit  is  the  simple  argument. 
Either  individuals  or  sections  of  the  class  may  be 
allowed  to  oppose  each  other.  For  full  directions  as 
to  the  conduct  of  this  work  see  the  discussion  under 
Aru;ument  in  the  next  two  trades. 


IIEIJ^^^I 

HHhhh 

TKLLIM,   lluW  TU  I'LAV  (lAMES  IS  A  GOOD  WAY  TO  IXTKODL'CE 
EXPOSITION 

Imitative  Expkessiox 

1.  Memorizing  Work.  The  memorizing  work  should 
be  continued  in  this  grade,  and  the  method  suggested 
in  the  preceding  grades  will  be  found  useful  here. 
The  selection  should  be  read  or  i-ecited  by  the  teacher, 
and  the  memorizing  will  be  done  by  hearing,  not  by 
reading,  the  poem.  Concert  repetition  should  be  less 
frequent  than  in  the  preceding  grades.  Greater 
stress   should  be  placed   on  the   interpretation  and 


GiLVJJE  THREE  89 

"understaudiug  of  the  poem,  and  tlie  reciting  .sliould  lie 
with  l^etter  effect.  The  work  of  memorizing  will  be 
slow,  a  part  of  from  four  to  eight  class  periods  being 
required  to  teach  a  poem  of  eight  stanzas.  Not  more 
than  four  or  five  poems,  one  jjsalm,  and  twelve 
gems  should  l)e  taught  during  the  Aear.  Poems  and 
gems  learned  the  preceding  year  may  l)e  repeated 
prolital)ly  from  time  to  time.  In  reading,  it  may 
be  found  helpful  to  have  the  children  occasionally 
read  the  poems  they  have  already  memorized  or 
are  memorizing  at  the  time. 

See  Appendix  B  for  suitable  material  in  both  poems 
and  gems.  The  following  list  gives  the  teaclier  a 
wider  range  of  choice : 

AViGGix,  Kate  D.  :  Oiveii  Tliiui;',s  CtvowIiil;';  An  Apple 
Orchai'd   in  the  Spring-. 

Shermax,  F.  I).  :  The  Four  Winds ;  Se})teHil)er :  Kriss 
Kringle. 

KiLEY,  J.  W. :   A  8ong ;  Little  Brook. 

LoisrGFELLow,  H.  W. :  Hiawatha's  Childhood;  The  April 
Shower. 

Stevexsox.E.L.  :  "Winter  Time:  The  Wind;  ^Nly  Bed  is  a  Boat. 

Texjstysox,  Alfred  :  Sweet  and  Low ;  The  Snowdro}). 

WiiiTTiER,  J.  Ct.  :  The  Corn  Song ;  The  Barefoot  Boy. 

KixGSLEY,  Charles.  :  The  Lost  Doll. 

EossETTi,  Christixa  :   Who  has  seen  the  Wind  ? 

Browxixg,  Robert  :  Pippa's  Song. 

Wordsworth,  Willia:m  :  To  a  Butterfly. 

Sted:max,  E.  C.  :  What  the  Winds  Bring. 

Allixgham,  William  :  Robin  Redbreast.    , 

Field,  Eugexe  :  Japanese  Lullaby. 

Gary,  Alice  :  Autumn. 

Bible  :  Psalms  i  and  xxiii. 


90     LANGUAGE  WOTJK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

2.  Dramatization.  Stories  or  dramatic  poems  longer 
than  those  played  in  the  second  grade  may  now  be 
used.  The  average  length  should  be  about  twenty 
bits  of  dialogue.  More  liberty  in  adding  characters 
and  in  changing  the  direct  discourse  should  be 
allowed  and  expected,  while  dialogue  parts  may  be 
added  for  characters  that  appear  in  the  story  only 
in  the  third  person.     Not  more  than  three  or  four 


THE  DULLER,  HIS  SON,  AND  THEIR  DONKEY,  A  THIRD-GRADE  PLAY 


finished  plays  should  be  attempted  during  the  year. 
Reading  lessons  in  which  much  dialogue  appears 
may  be  effectively  recited  in  semidramatic  form. 
Certain  children  will  assume  certain  roles  and  will 
read,  with  some  little  attempt  at  action,  the  dialogue 
assigned  to  the  corresponding  characters.  Dramatic 
readers,  names  of  which  appear  in  Appendix  A,  may  be 
used  for  the  dramatic  work  of  this  type.  The  history 
work  of  the  year  may  culminate  in  a  play.    If  this 


GKADE  THREE 


91 


has  been  on  Norway,  let  the  Norse  heroes  be  the 
characters,  and  let  their  characteristic  customs  and 
habits  suggest  the  action.  Or,  if  Kentucky  has  been 
the  subject  of  study,  let  the  pioneer  life  furnish 
characters  and  a  plot. 

Another  type  of  dramatic  work,  less  studied  and 
more    spontaneous   than    that    outlined    above,   may 


ALL  THE  CHAKACTKKS   IX  'SLEKPINrt  BEALTY"  ASSEMBLED 
FOR  PICTURE 


often  be  used  with  profit  in  this  grade.  This  is  some- 
times called  spontaneous  dramatics.  A  story  with 
which  the  children  are  thoroughly  familiar  is  chosen. 
It  may  have  been  part  of  the  reading  work  of  a  pre- 
vious 3^ear  or  it  may  be  altogether  new  to  the  children. 
With  only  a  very  little  preparation  as  to  characters 
and  staging,  and  with  none  as  to  the  language  to  be 


92     LAXCJUAGE   WOIIK  IX  ELEMEXTAKY  SIJHOOLS 

used,  the  class  is  asked  to  play  the  story.  The  story 
slioidd  be  short,  aud  the  incidents  tew  and  well- 
defined.  A  few  pertinent  questions  may  be  asked  by 
the  teacher  if  the  class  is  not  at  its  best,  but  as  a  rule 
very  little  discussion  should  precede  the  play.  New- 
actors  may  be  chosen  for  a  second  rendering,  but 
usually  only  one  })erformance  of  a  story  is  given. 

Most  of  the  stories  learned  in  the  story-telling 
work  sliould  l)e  dramatized.  The  ,  following  stories, 
mostly  from  ^-Esop,  are  suggested  as  suitaljle  for  use 
in  this   grade  : 

The  Shepherd  Boy. 

The  Cat  and  the  Eox. 

The  IJear  and  the  Tomtits. 

The  Have  and  the  Tortoise. 

The  Fox  and  the  Crow. 

The  Echo. 

The  Monkey  and  the  Chestnuts. 

The  Wolf  and  the  Crane. 

The  Lark  and  the  Farmer. 

The  Town  Mouse  and  the  City  INIouse. 

Orpheus  and  Eurydice. 

Aurora  and  Tithonus. 

The  Lark  and  the  Rook. 

Laucis  and  Philemon. 

Apollo  and  Hercules. 

3.  Lruuiaafie  Games.  The  work  of  correcting  com- 
mon errors  in  the  speech  of  the  children  by  simple 
little  games  should  be  continued  to  some  extent  in 
this  grade.  The  method  of  conducting  the  work  has 
been  outlined  in  the  first  two  grades.  The  teacher 
should  keep  for  this  purpose  a  list  of  common  errors 


GRADE  THREE  93 

made  in  class,  on  the  playground,  and  elsewhere. 
Many  suitable  games  may  Ije  found  in  the  two  books 
mentioned  under  this  heading  in  the  first  grade. 

II.   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Okigixal  Expkessiox 

Subjects  assigned  for  written  work  should  always 
be  discussed  with  the  children  Ijefore  they  are  asked 
to  begin  writing.  This  is  done  to  put  them  in  pos- 
session of  the  ideas  and  words  needed.  After  the  oral 
discussion,  words  that  the  children  cannot  spell  should 
be  written  on  the  board.  The  papers  should  be  read 
over  and  corrected  so  far  as  possible  l^efore  they  are 
handed  in  ;  or,  if  the  work  is  done  at  the  l^oard,  as 
it  should  be  much  of  the  time  during  the  early  part 
of  the  year,  each  child  should  correct  his  work  before 
the  other  children  are  asked  to  help  him.  At  first 
the  papers  may  be  corrected  by  the  class,  each  child 
correcting  another's  paper.  Later  the  teacher  should 
correct  all  papers  and  discuss  typical  mistakes  with  the 
class.  The  corrections  should  always  cover  all  mat- 
ters of  capitalization,  punctuation,  etc.  outlined  for  this 
and  preceding  grades.  Notice  should  also  be  taken  of 
misspelled  words,  badly  chosen  words,  and  mistakes 
in  syntax.  Children  should  also  l)e  led  to  see  points 
of  excellence.    The  following  are  a  ie^v  sucli  points  : 

1 .  Well-chosen  words. 

2.  New  words  used  for  the  first  time  aud  spelled 
correctly. 


94     LANGUAGE  W(3KK  IN  ELEMENTAEY  SCHOOLS 

3.  Beautiful  thoughts. 

4.  Correct  use  of  technical  points,  as  a  contraction, 
a  hyphen,  etc. 

5.  Expressions  that  show  pictures,  if  the  form  is 
description. 

6.  Expressions   that   tell   stories,    if   the   form   is 
narration. 

7.  The  general  appearance  of  the  product,  as  to 
neatness,  straight  writing,  etc. 


CUTTING,  CLAY  MODELING,  ETC.  FURNISH  SUBJECTS  FOR 
SIMPLE  DESCRIPTION  AND  EXPOSITION 


From  three  to  five  sentences  may  be  expected  at 
first,  and  by  the  end  of  the  year  a  page  of  note  paper 
should  be  written  on  one  subject.  At  no  time,  how- 
ever, should  the  child  be  asked  to  write  a  definite 
amount.    Two  periods  each  week  should  be  devoted 


GPvxVDE  THREE  9o 

to  the  writing  of  regular  compositions,  while  some 
written  work  should  Ije  done  every  day.  The  follow- 
ing division  of  the  written  work  is  for  the  con- 
venience of  the  teacher ;  the  terms  '  narration,' 
'  description,'  and  '  exposition '  should  never  be  nsed 
in  directing  the  work  in  the  classroom. 

1.  Letter-Writing.  The  letter  appeals  to  children 
because  it  fm-nishes  an  audience.  For  this  reason  at 
least  half  the  little  narrations,  descriptions,  and  expo- 
sitions written  by  third-  and  fomth-grade  pupils 
should  appear  in  this  form.  Frequently  the  written 
observation  reports  may  also  l^e  put  in  letter  form  to 
add  interest  to  the  work.  The  first  letters  this  year 
should  be  written  in  the  form  suggested  in  the  pre- 
ceding grade.  By  degrees  the  date  and  place  of  writ- 
ing should  be  added,  and  some  direction  in  the  matter 
of  addressing  envelopes  should  be  given.  Toward 
the  close  of  the  year  each  pupil  should  write  and 
send  through  the.  mail  at  least  one  letter  to  some 
relative  or  friend.  These  letters  should  be  submitted 
to  the  teacher  for  correction  before  they  are  mailed. 
The  following;  letter  form  should  be  mastered  bv  the 
close  of  the  year. 

Louisville,  Ky. 
May  16,  191.-) 
Dear  Henry, 


Your  friend, 

Howard  Smith 


9»i     LAKGUAGE  WORK   IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


J^W^^; 


y 


2.  Observdfioii  Ia'shohs  and  L'rjjoiis.  'I'lie  reports 
on  observation  and  investigation  assigned  to  the 
class  may  frequently  be  put  into  written  form. 
This,  of  course,  will  always  follow  the  oral  work. 
These  reports  will  contain  elements  of  description, 

exposition,  and 
even  narration, 
o.  In  all  work 
in  composition 
some  (me  of  the 
regular  forms 
of  discourse  will 
be  predominant. 
Narration  and 
description  will 
be  found  suited 
to  every  grade, 
while  only  the 
simplest  form  of 
exposition  is  to 
be  attempted  at 
this  stage.  The 
following  outline  shows  the  different  kinds  of  subject 
matter  that  should  Ije  given  a  place  in  tlie  written 
work  of  this  grade : 

a.  Narration.  After  the  children  have  been  led  to 
tell  experiences  that  they  have  had  or  have  heard 
others  relate,  they  may  be  asked  to  put  some  of  the 
short  ones  into  wa^iting.  Stories  of  fancy,  learned  in 
the  story-telling  work,  may  also  be  used  in  this  way. 


THE  FOX  AND  THE  GRAPES 

Hecto<;raph  work  accompanying  writteii 
leproduced  story 


GKADE  TIIKEE  97 

Attempts  at  coniposiug  .shuit  oiigiual  stories  sliould 
be  encouraged. 

h.  Description.  The  oral  description  done  in  this 
grade  should  lead  to  written  work  of  the  same  kind. 
This  will  perhaps  demand  a  greater  degree  of  accu- 
racy in  observation  and  in  recording  details.  Pictures 
are  especially  useful  in  this  exercise.  The  observation 
work  mentioned  alxjve  will  call  attention  to  the  fact 
that  nature  furnishes  an  abundance  of  subject  matter 
for  description. 

c.  Exjjosifmji.  Tlic  oral  work  in  the  simple  kind 
of  exposition  that  is  attempted  in  the  knver  grades  — 
that  which  relates  interesting  facts  about  familiar 
objects  —  should  be  followed  occasionally  Ijy  written 
work.  This  form  of  exposition  is  not  ditticult  and 
develops  nmcli  interest  in  mam"  connnon  thing.s. 

iMriATlVE    EXPIIESSIOX 

1.  Copijiiuj  Work.  The  w^ork  outlined  in  the  pre- 
ceding grade  should  be  continued  throughout  this 
year.  Poems,  memory  gems,  and  selections  from  the 
reading  lessons  may  be  copied  at  the  desk  as  a  ])art 
of  the  assignment  in  WTiting.  Passages  that  contain 
words  and  expressions  which  the  children  have  a 
tendency  to  use  incorrectly  should  be  chosen  for 
this  work. 

2.  Dictation  Exercises.  This  exercise  is  more  effec- 
tive and  more  necessary  here  than  in  the  first  two 
grades.  The  discussion  in  the  preceding  grade  gives 
suthcient  directions  as  to  the  method  of  conducting 


98     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

the  work.  In  this  and  in  higher  grades  more  of  the  sen- 
tences may  be  written  on  paper  at  the  desks  though 
the  board  should  be  used  most  of  the  time.  As  in  the 
other  grades,  the  teacher  should  make  notes  of  the 
common  errors  in  the  speech  of  the  children,  and  let 
the  correct  usage  appear  in  the  sentences  dictated. 
As  shown  below  under  Technical  Matters,  these  exer- 
cises may  be  used  to  teach  correct  usage  in  all  matters 
mentioned  under  that  heading  from  grade  to  grade. 
These  exercises  may  be  used  to  fill  in  odd  moments. 

IIL    GENERAL  WORK 

Vocabulary  Work 

Some  such  plan  as  the  one  outlined  in  the  second 
grade  may  be  adopted  for  this  grade.  The  ingenious 
teacher  will  develop  some  good  method  of  carrying 
on  this  very  important  work. 

Technical  Matters 

In  addition  to  the  attention  paid  in  the  composi- 
tion work,  and  in  reading  recitations,  to  the  points 
outlined  under  this  heading  from  grade  to  grade, 
some  more  specific  work  may  be  done  to  make  pupils 
more  familiar  with  them.  Briefly  stated,  this  work 
may  consist  of  (a)  observation  of  the  points  outlined 
in  the  various  textbooks  used,  (h)  board  work  with 
both  teacher  and  class  dictating,  and  (c)  seat  work. 
For  example,  suppose  that  the  new  point  to  be  taught 
is  the  possessive  singular.    Let  the  class  find  many 


GRADE  THKEE  99 

instances  of  its  use  in  various  books,  giving  the  mean- 
ing in  each  case,  followed  by  the  form.  Follow  this 
with  board  work,  the  teacher  dictating  phrases  and 
short  sentences  containing  the  possessive  singular. 
When  this  has  developed  a  good  understanding  of 
the  principle,  further  dictation  work  may  be  given 
at  the  desks,  not  only  as  a  repetition,  but  as  a  test. 
Never  let  any  formal  rule  be  required  of  pupils  in 
this  grade. 

The  following  matters,  in  addition  to  those  out- 
lined in  the  two  preceding  grades,  should  be  mastered 
by  the  close  of  the  year. 

1.  Ciipifuls :  tirst  letter  in  all  eoinmon  titles,  in  all  proper 

names,  and  in  diveet  (inotations. 

2.  I'unctuatltni  : 

a.   Period  :  with  abbreviations. 

h.    Comma :  in  dates  ;  in  series  of  words ;  after  cases  of 
address. 

c.  Apostrophe  :  in  possessive  singular  and  in  a  few  most 

common  contractions,  as  *  it's,'  ^  can't,'  etc. 

d.  Hyphen  :  in  dividing  words  at  ends  of  lines. 

3.  Abbreviations :  names  of  months,  the  home  state,  and  a 

few  surrounding  states ;  '  doz.,' '  lb.,'  *  qt.,'  ^  ft.,'  '  yd.,' 
'ct.,'  and  such  others  as  are  needed  in  arithmetic 
or  in  any  other  work  of  the  grade. 

4.  Plurals :  few  irregular  plurals  met  in  reading  work,  such 

as  '  mice,'  ^  men,'  ^  children,'  ^  oxen,'  '  leaves,'  etc. 

5.  Possessives :  Possessive  singular.    Best  usage  shows  .s'.s, 

as  *  James's,'  except  where  last  s^dlable  begins  with 
an  s  sound,  as  *  Moses.' 

6.  Address :  pupil's  name  and  address,  and  that  of  parents 

and  relatives,  with  correct  punctuation. 

7.  Form :  the  single  paragraph,  indention,  margin,  et& 


GRADE  FOUR 

I.   ORAL   LANCiTAGE  WORK 

Origixal  Expkessiox. 

1.  observation  Lessons  and  Rcjiorts. 

2.  Recitation  by  Topics. 
8.  Story-Telling. 

4.  Argument. 

5.  Xai'ration. 

6.  Description. 

7.  Exposition. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Memorizing  Work. 

2.  Dramatization. 

IL   WRIITEX   LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expressiox. 

1.  Letter- Writing. 

2.  Narration. 

3.  Argument. 

4.  Description. 

5.  Exjiosition. 

6.  Verse-AYriting. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Copying  Work. 

2.  Dictation. 

III.   GENERAL  WORK 

Dictionary  and  Vocabulary  Work. 
Technical  Matters. 


101 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

Tlie  tendency  to  emphasize  written  work  and  to  neglect 
the  oral  in  this  grade  and  in  higher  grades  is  based 
upon  a  false  ideal.  Constant  drill  in  oral  language  is  of 
paramount  importance  here  as  well  as  in  the  lower  grades ; 
it  should  not  consist  merely  in  attention  paid  to  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  language  used  by  the  pupils  in  the  vari- 
ous recitations,  but  should  include  serious  and  definitely 
planned  work  in  narration,  description,  exposition,  and 
argument.  The  ability  to  think  accurately  and  effectively 
must  go  hand  in  hand  with  expression.  The  teacher  should 
keep  constantly  in  mind  that  without  impression  there  can 
be  no  expression  worth  while.  In  this  grade  introduction 
to  certain  grammatical  principles  should  be  made.  The 
children  should  master  these  principles  not  by  learning 
definitions  and  rules,  but  by  learning  to  recognize  the 
grammatical  forms  as  they  appear  in  the  compositions  or 
reading  lessons.  An  outline  of  these  principles  is  given 
under  Technical  Matters  at  the  end  of  the  discussions  in 
this  grade. 


102 


GRADE  FOUR 

L   ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expeessiox 

1.  Observation,  Lessons  and  Reports.  This  work 
should  be  continued  and  enlarged  in  this  grade. 
Subjects  that  demand  more  accm^ate  observation 
should  be  assigned,  and  more  detailed  reports  are  to 
be  expected.  In  addition  to  the  knowledge  gained 
in  actual  observation,  the  children  may  learn  much 
about  the  subjects  mider  consideration  b}'^  using 
books  of  reference  and  supplementary  readers,  which 
every  school  library  should  contain.  The  language 
of  the  oral  report  should  be  carefully  watched  and 
corrected ;  on  the  other  hand,  it  should  be  approved 
and  appreciated  when  it  shows  strength  and  fitness. 

2.  Recitation  hy  Tojyics.  The  work  of  reciting  by 
topics  is  usually  begun  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
thu"d  year.  It  may  be  found  profitable  in  geography 
and  reading  classes,  observation  rej)orts,  and  else- 
where. In  language  development  the  ability  to  think 
logically  and  to  express  thought  in  correct  and  prop- 
erly connected  statements  is  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance. This  is  the  chief  pm^pose  of  the  topical 
recitation.    It  should  never  be  used  in  more  than 

103 


104    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

one  third  of  the  recitations  in  a  given  subject,  and 
each  child  should  be  required  to  prepare  all  the 
lesson  and  not  simply  that  part  upon  which  he  is 
to  recite  by  topic.  The  children  may  occasionally 
be  allowed  to  choose  their  own  topics,  either  at  the 
time   of   assigning   the   lesson   or  at   the   recitation; 


FOURTH-GRADE  CHILDREN  STUDYING  CERTAIN  WEEDS,  I'KEl'AK- 
ATORY  TO  ORAL  DESCRIPTION  AND  OBSERVATION  REPORTS 

or  the  topics  may  be  assigned  by  the  teacher  after 
the  class  has  assembled. 

3.  Stor/f-TeUhuj.  The  work  in  this  grade  Avill  l)e 
largely  a  continuation  of  that  outlined  for  the  pre- 
ceding grade.  There  are  three  distinct  types  of  stories 
that  should  be  attempted,  as  follows : 

a.  Repeated  Storj/.  The  simple  repeated  story  is 
the   principal   kind   used  in    the   first    three   grades. 


(I KADI':   Koi'IJ  lOo 

Here  and  in  the  liiuhei-  u'lades  the  children  should 
usually  find  the  story  for  themselves.  The  Vjest  plan 
is  to  have  an  occasional  period  when  the  children 
may  tell  the  class  the  stories  they  have  learned. 
This  gives  an  incentive  for  outside  reading,  and  ])ro- 
duces  greater  power  to  retain  ^v]lat  is  read.  Mueli 
knowledge  of  history  may  be  gained  in  this  way, 
while  stories  of  ti'avel  or  of  life  in  other  ])arts  of 
the  world  will  teach  many  fa(;ts  of  geography.  Bible 
stories  are  always  interesting  and  should  hud  a  place 
here.  At  least  one  long  story  should  l)e  read  and 
learned  in  this  grade.  For  this  story  the  following- 
are  suggested  :  "  The  Trojan  War,"  "  The  Adventures 
of  Ulysses,"  "  Robinson  Crusoe,"  "  The  Swiss  Family 
Robinson."  The  opening  exercises  of  the  day,  whicli 
should  be  the  livest  work  of  the  day,  may  occasionally 
be  devoted  to  the  story  work. 

Ij.  Reconstructed  Storij.  Much  interest  in  the  stor}' 
work  may  he  developed  by  having  the  children 
impersonate  certain  characters  in  stories  they  have 
learned,  and  tell  the  stories  as  they  imagine  those 
characters  would  have  told  them.  For  example,  after 
the  children  have  learned  the  story  of  "  The  JSIonkey 
and  the  Chestnuts,"  let  one  child  tell  the  story  as 
the  monkey  would  have  told  it,  and  another  as  the 
cat  would  have  told  it.  A  complete  change  in  the 
pronouns  used  will  l)e  found  necessary.  Fables  are 
especially  suitable  for  this  work,  which  is  a  good 
training  of  the  imagination  and  a  preparation  for 
the  dramatization  of  stories. 


100    LAKGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

('..  (h'iyinal  >^fo7'j/.  Creative  work  should  be  empha- 
sized in  this  grade  and  in  higher  grades.  Ideas  as 
to  plot  and  characters  may  be  drawn  from  literature, 
from  pictures,  and  from  nature.  The  first  products 
should  be  the  result  of  the  comlnned  efforts  of  the 
whole  class,  each  child  suggesting  an  idea.  Later, 
stories  created  by  individuals  are  to  be  expected. 
An  excellent  form  in  which  the  original  story  may 
appear  is  the  impersonation,  in  which  the  children 
are  asked  to  imagine  they  are  objects  of  various 
kinds,  and  tell  stories  in  keeping  with  the  character 
of  the  objects  represented.  For  example,  a  child 
may  impersonate  a  flower  in  the  room  or  in  the 
yard,  the  teacher's  bell  or  clock,  the  pet  dog  or  cat, 
etc.  In  this  work  care  should  be  taken  to  keep 
the  imagination  of  the  child  within  proper  bounds. 

The  sources  of  stories  suggested  in  the  preceding 
grade  may  be  drawn  upon  for  material  here.  For 
the  repeated  and  reconstructed  story  the  following 
are  suggested : 

Grimm  :  The  Frog  Pvinee  ;  The  House  in  the  Woods  ;  The 
Fox  and  the  Cat. 

Andersen  :  The  Snow  Queen  ;  The  Flax ;  The  Fir  Tree. 

Hawthorne,  Nathaniel  :  Cadmus  and  the  Dragon's 
Teeth;  Midas  and  the  Golden  Touch. 

Craik,  Dinah  Maria  (Mulock)  :  The  Little  Lame  Prince. 

Kipling,  Run  yard  :  Mowgli's  Brothers  ;  Kaa's  Hunting. 

Harris,  Joel  Chandler:  Daddy  Jake,  the  Runaway ;  Why 
Mr.  Billy  Goat's  Tail  is  Short. 

Field,  Eugene:  The  Coming  of  the  Prince;  The  Angel 
and  the  Flowers. 


GRADE  FOUR  107 

ScuDDER,  Horace  :  The  Flying  Dutchman  ;  St.  George  and 
the  Dragon. 

Seton,  Ernest  Thompson  :  Biddy  and  Randy. 
Bible  :  The  Story  of  Abraham  ;  the  Story  of  Ruth. 

4.  Argument.  A  good  development  in  the  ability 
to  think  logically  and  to  appreciate  the  relation  be- 
tween cause  and  effect  in  events  and  conditions  may 
be  produced  by  a  simple  form  of  argument.    Some 


FOURTH-GRADE  ORAL  ARGUMENT 

Note  leaders  standing 

well-balanced  subject  is  chosen,  and  the  children  are 
asked  to  make  points  in  favor  of  either  side.  Oppor- 
tunity should  be  given  to  any  who  desire  to  refute 
a  point  made.  The  teacher  should  always  hold  the 
children  to  the  discussion  of  one  point  at  a  time. 
The  class  may  be  divided  into  two  groups,  each  tak- 
ing one  side  of  the  subject  to  defend.    A  leader  is 


108    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 

chosen  for  each  group,  and  he  has  the  right  to  call 
to  his  assistance  any  of  his  team-mates.  The  teacher 
keeps  a  record  of  the  points  successfully  made  on 
each  side  and  announces  the  winner  at  the  close  of 
the  debate.  Arguments  in  the  dialogues  of  stories 
and  poems  may  be  used  as  the  basis  of  this  work. 
The  conversation  Ijetween  Cinderella  and  her  step- 
mother about  the  attendance  at  the  ball,  and  the 
debate  between  the  mountain  and  the  squirrel  in 
Emerson's  fable,  are  examples  of  material  from  this 
source.  The  following  subjects  of  a  general  nature 
are  suggested  for  argument  here  and  in  the  higher 
grades : 

Life  ill  the  city  is  more  pleasant  than  life  in  the  country. 

The  house  fly  is  more  injurious  to  man  than  the  mosquito. 

Automobiles  are  more  useful  than  horses. 

Farms  produce  more  wealth  than  factories. 

Birds  are  more  injurious  to  growing  things  than  insects. 

Winter  affords  more  and  greater  pleasures  than  summer. 

Education  is  more  valual:)le  than  riches. 

The  following  outline  gives  the  points  made  on 
both  sides  of  the  subject  "  City  Life  offers  More 
Advantages  than  Country  Life "  by  a  fourth-grade 
class.  The  points  were  taken  down  and  arranged  by 
the  writer. 

Affirmativp: 

1.  Better  schools  :  longer  terms  ;  better  buildings  and  equip- 
ment ;  better  teachers  ;  one  teacher  for  each  grade. 

2.  More  educational  opportunities :  museum ;  libraries ;  art 
galleries;  Y.M.C.A. ;  manufactories;  picture  shows;  theaters; 
prominent  people. 


GKADE  F(.)UK  109 

3.  ]\Iore  conveniences  :  electric  lights  :  gas  ;  water  works ; 
sewerage. 

4.  Better  times :  picture  shows ;  Y.M.C.A. ;  baseball  and 
games ;  playmates  near. 

5.  Loneliness  of  country  :  neighbors  far  away ;  few  amuse- 
ments ;  playmates  few  and  not  near. 

6.  Bad  roads  in  country  as  opposed  to  good  streets  and 
sidewalks  in  town ;  oil  lamps,  as  opposed  to  electric  lights 
or  gas. 

lu'fiitiifuin 

1.  Can  study  nature  in  towns  in  gardens,  parks,  and  b}- 
excursions  and  picnics. 

2.  Just  as  good  spoi'ts  in  town  —  tennis,  track  meets,  base- 
ball, athletics  at  Y.M.C.A. 

ISTegative 

1.  Have  fun  in  country :  riding  horses  ;  fishing  ;  hunting ; 
more  pets  ;  games  better. 

2.  Learn  nature :  seeing  and  studying  insects,  birds,  trees ; 
spend  much  time  in  woods  ;  farming  deals  with  nature. 

3.  Healthful :  fresh  air ;  outdoor  exercise ;  no  dust  and 
smoke  ;  go  to  bed  early  and  get  up  early  ;  cleaner  than  city. 

4.  All  boys  can  learn  a  trade  (farming)  easily. 

5.  Have  more  and  fresher  things  to  eat,  without  buying  them. 

6.  Develops  goodness,  honesty,  kindness. 

Befutatlon 

1.  Country  has  better  Y.M.C.A.  in  the  out-of-doors. 

2.  Better  that  people  should  not  have  so  many  amusements. 

3.  Country  children  get  more  education  of  a  better  kind. 

5.  Namitioit.  The  telliug  of  stories  that  have  been 
read  or  heard  should  lead  to  the  narration  of  actual 
experiences.  This  work  will  be  a  continuation  of 
that  done  in  the  preceding  year.    Here  the  narration 


no    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELE:\rEXTARY  SCHOOLS 


should  give  more  details,  and  the  language  should 
be  more  mature  in  sentence  structure.  Picnics,  fish- 
ing or  camping  trips,  excursions  on  the  river  or  to 
the  country,  visits  to  relatives  and  friends,  etc.,  are 
subjects  which  will  prove  interesting  for  narration. 

6.  Description.  This  will  be  a  continuation  of  the 
work  of  the  preceding  year,  with  increased  demands 

as  to  number  of 
details,  accuracy, 
and  length  of  the 
compositions  writ- 
ten. Care  should 
be  taken  to  have 
the  children  form 
the  habit  of  mak- 
ing clear  mental 
pictures.  Pictm^es 
are  still  effectively 
used  in  this  work. 
Objects  and  scenes 
from  nature  fur- 
nish the  best  ma- 
terial here,  and  for  this  reason  description  is  closely 
associated  with  the  observation  lessons  and  reports. 
Some  time  may  be  spent  in  having  pupils  describe 
scenes  portrayed  in  literature  that  has  been  read  or 
studied  in  the  class. 

7.  Exjjosition.  The  simple  form  of  exposition,  in 
which  the  children  are  led  to  state  general  facts  of 
interest  about  subjects  closely  related  to  their  lives. 


gy:mxastic  games  are  good  subjects 
for  exposition 


GRADE  FOUE  111 

should  be  continued  in  this  grade.  In  addition,  some 
time  may  be  devoted  to  a  more  difficult  form,  that  of 
naming  in  order  the  successive  steps  in  a  process. 
The  following  subjects  demand  this  type  of  expo- 
sition :  how  to  play  tennis,  baseball,  or  other  games ; 
how  to  plant  and  cultivate  corn^  tomatoes,  etc. ;  how 
to  build  a  bird  box ;  how  a  bird  .builds  a  nest ;  how 
to  make  roller  skates.  This  kind  of  exposition  af- 
fords good  training  in  logical  thinking  and  subsequent 
expression. 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Memorizmg  Work.  The  work  of  the  preceding 
grades  should  be  continued.  The  poems  should  still 
be  read  or  recited  by  the  teacher,  to  avoid  the  un- 
natural expression  that  would  result  if  the  children 
should  memorize  the  selections  from  the  printed  page. 
For  this  reason  the  poems  should  be  chosen  fi'om 
some  som'ce  other  than  the  reader  used  by  the  class. 
Careful  attention  should  be  given  to  the  thought 
expressed  in  the  poem.  The  memorizing  should  be 
done  in  small  bits,  —  perhaps  only  a  line  or  two  at  a 
time,  —  to  avoid  slurring  and  bad  pronunciation.  It 
is  unwise  to  prompt  children  in  the  repetitions ;  they 
should  be  asked  to  make  a  new  start  when  they  fail 
to  remember,  or  some  other  child  may  be  allowed  to 
repeat  the  lines.  From  six  to  eight  poems  and  from 
ten  to  fifteen  memory  gems  may  be  memorized  during 
the  year.  A  psalm  and  perhaps  a  familiar  old  hymn 
may  be  added  to  the  year's  work.   The  children  should 


112    LAXGUA(JE  WOPvK  IN    KLKMKNTAKV  SriIOOLS 

be  given  frequent  opportunity  for  the  repetition  of 
selections  nieniorized  during  previous  years. 

Sufficient  material  in  the  form  of  poems  and  gems 
may  be  found  in  Appendix  B.  The  following  selec- 
tions will  give  a  somewhat  wider  range  for  choice : 

Allixgham,  Willia^m  :  Fairy  Folk. 
Field,  EuciEXK  :  The  Night  Wind. 
Jackson,  Helen  Huxt  :  Down  to  Slee]). 
Longfellow,  H.  W.  :  The  Village  lUacksmith  ;  The  AVreck 
of  the  Hesperus. 

Tennyson,  Alfred:  The  Brook;  Sweet  and  Low. 

Whittier,  J.  G. :  The  Frost  Spirit. 

Browning,  Elizabeth  Barrett:  A  rhild"s  Thought  of  (lod. 

Trowbridge,  J.  T. :  Evening  at  the  Farm. 

Bryant,  W.  C.  :  Eobert  of  Lincoln. 

HowiTT,  Mary:  The  A^oice  of  Spring;  Old  Christmas. 

Wordsworth,  William.  :  The  Daffodils. 

Hemans,  Felicia  Dorothea:  The  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims. 

Macdonald,  George  :  The  Wind  and  the  Moon. 

Emerson,  R.  W.  :  The  IVIountain  and  the  Squirrel. 

2.  Dramatization.  Increased  originality  in  adding 
new  characters  and  new  statements  in  the  dialogue 
should  be  expected  in  the  dramatization  work  this 
year.  By  the  close  of  the  year  the  dialogue  for  a 
short  original  play  may  be  worked  u])  entirely  by  the 
children  and  played  in  finished  form.  For  this  pur- 
pose a  story  having  little  or  no  dialogue  should  be 
used.  Each  child  may  be  asked  to  prepare  a  little 
play,  and  from  these  plays  one  may  be  chosen  and 
built  up  in  the  class.  Sometimes  the  play  is  w^orked 
out  wholly  in  the  class,  each  child  suggesting  ideas 
as  to  characters  and  dialogue. 


(;1JA1)E  FOUR 


113 


Considerable  drill  in  the  more  spontaneous  kind  of 
play  work,  which  was  described  in  the  preceding  grade, 
should  be  given.  As  suggested  in  the  preceding  grades, 
reading  lessons  in  wliich  much  dialogue  appears  may 
be  acted  as  they  are  read,  to  secure  more  natural  ex- 
pression and  to  develop  greater  interest.  Since  acqui- 
sition is  most  likely  under  the  stress  of  interest,  this 
work   A\ill   ])e   a  valuable   aid  in  the  reading-  work. 


SCHOOL  FAIRS  OFFEK  EXCELLENT  8LB.JECTS  FOK  XAKKATloN, 
DESCRIPTION,  AND  EXPOSITION 

During  the  year  three  or  four  plays  should  be  worked 
up  in  finished  form.  One  of  these  should  be  an 
original  play.  Examples  of  plays  of  this  kind  may 
be  found  in  Appendix  C.  These  formed  a  part  of 
the  regular  language  work  of  the  classes  that  pre- 
pared them.  Most  of  the  stories  learned  in  the 
story-telling  work  should  be  dramatized,  either  spon- 
taneously or  in  a  finished  form.  These  stories  are 
the  chief  source  of  material  fur  the  play  work. 


114    LAXGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

11.    WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expression 

Here  and  in  higher  grades  the  composition  work 
should  begin  to  develop  logical  thinking  and  a  care- 
ful balance  between  thought  and  its  expression.  The 
child  should  be  led  to  develop  not  only  strength  and 
spontaneity  of  thought  but  clearness  and  accuracy  of 
expression.  The  work,  to  be  effective,  must  touch 
the  child's  life  and  interests.  So  far  as  possible  the 
children  should  be  made  to  forget  the  mechanical 
side  of  their  writing,  that  they  may  be  able  to  give 
themselves  over  wholly  to  the  thought  side  of  the 
work.  In  speaking  of  the  compositions  the  teacher 
should  never  use  the  terms  '  narration,'  '  description,' 
and  '  exposition ' ;  they  are  used  in  these  discussions 
only  for  the  convenience  and  guidance  of  the  teacher. 
The  following  specific  directions  for  the  conduct  of 
the  work  may  be  found  helpful  and  suggestive : 

1.  Prtimration  and  Method  of  Conduct.  After  the 
oral  discussion  of  the  subject,  which  should  always 
precede  the  written  work,  the  children  should  be 
given  an  opportunity  to  ask  questions  about  the 
subject.  "Words  which  the  children  desire  to  use 
and  which  they  cannot  spell  should  be  written  on 
the  blackboard,  to  avoid,  as  far  as  possible,  having 
misspelled  words  in  the  written  work.  These  words 
may  be  used  the  next  day  as  the  basis  of  a  spelling 
lesson.  The  children  should  be  directed  to  leave 
blank    spaces   in    the    composition    for   words    they 


GRADE  FOUR 


115 


cannot  spell.  A  definite  time  limit  should  be  set  for 
the  work,  to  prevent  lazy  habits  of  thought.  Each 
child  should  read  over  and  correct  his  paper,  as 
far  as  he  can,  before  it  is  handed  to  the  teacher. 
It  may  be  well  for  the  teacher  to  spend  a  portion 
of  the  composition  period  in  writing  a  paragraph 
on  the  subject  on  whicli  the  class  is  working.  This 
leads   the  children  to  feel  that  the  work  is  worth 


A  DAY  TX  THE  WOODS  WILL  PRODUCE  MANY  DESCRIPTIONS 
AND  EXPOSITIONS 

while,  shows  them  a  model  of  a  well-written  para- 
graph, and  keeps  them  from  asking  many  needless 
questions  while  they  are  writing. 

2.  Method  and  Extent  of  Correction.  The  papers 
should  be  carefully  corrected  by  the  teacher,  but 
many  teachers  have  found  that,  unless  the  composi- 
tions are  very  good  or  need  special  criticism,  they 
need  not  be  handed  back  to  the  children  in  this 
grade.     Only  the  most  common  mistakes,  and  those 


116    LAN<JUAGE  WOHK   IX  ELE3[ENTARY  SCHOOLS 

previously  corrected,  need  l)e  brought  to  the  atteution 
of  the  class.  The  seutences  that  contaiu  mistakes 
may  be  read  to  the  children,  and  they  should  try 
to  correct  them.  A  paper  which  contains  several  of 
the  most  common  errors,  or  one  of  special  excellence, 
may  be  put  on  the  board  for  special  consideration. 
Well-formed  sentences  and  all  points  of  excellence 
should  be  noted  Ijv  the  teacher,  and  the  children 
should  Ije  led  to  see  and  appreciate  them.  It  may 
be  thought  best  to  have  the  worst  papers  rewritten. 
In  the  correction  of  mistakes  all  points  enumerated 
under  Technical  Matters  at  the  close  of  this  and 
former  grades  should  be  taken  into  consideration. 

3.  Form.  As  in  the  preceding  grade,  at  least  half 
of  all  written  composition  work  should  be  in  the  form 
of  letters  addressed  to  the  teacher,  to  a  friend,  or  to 
any  person  well  known  to  the  child.  This  gives  an 
incentive  for  writina;,  because  it  affords  the  child  an 
audience.  Writing  merely  for  the  sake  of  writing,  or 
for  the  development  achieved,  does  not  afford  a  suffi- 
cient incentive  to  children  of  this  grade.  The  child's 
name  should  be  placed  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner 
of  the  page,  and  the  date  in  the  upper  right-hand 
corner.  The  one-paragraph  form  of  discourse  of  from 
five  to  eight  sentences,  or  one  page  of  note-paper  size, 
is  the  average  extent  of  the  composition  in  this  grade. 

4.  Frequency.  Two  periods  each  week  should  be  de- 
voted to  the  regular  w^ritten  composition  work,  while 
some  written  work  should  be  done  almost  every  day. 


GRADE  FOin  117 

Types  of  Written  Compositions 

For  the  convenience  and  guidance  of  the  teacher 
the  composition  work  of  this  grade  may  be  divided 
into  the  following  kinds.  With  the  exception  of 
letter-writing,  the  technical  names  should  never  be 
mentioned  to  the  children. 

1.  Letter-Writing.  In  this  grade  "the  complete  letter 
form  for  social  letters,  together  with  the  addressing 
of  envelopes,  is  to  be  mastered.  The  following  is  a 
sample  form : 

(Street  address,  if  any) 

Decatur,  111. 

May  10,  1915 
Dear  William, 


Your  friend, 

John  Wilson 

Only  the  social  letter  should  be  taught  as  yet. 
The  teacher  may  devote  some  time  to  the  direc- 
tion of  the  actual  correspondence  of  the  children. 
As  suggested  above,  at  least  half  of  the  composi- 
tion work  of  this  grade  should  be  in  the  letter  form. 
Instead  of  '  Your  friend,'  in  the  closing  phrase,  either 
'  Sincerely  yours '  or  '  Very  truly  yom^s '  may  be 
used,  especially  if  the  letter  is  of  a  more  formal  char- 
acter than  that  suggested  above.    In  the  matter  of 


118    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENT AEY  SCHOOLS 

addressing    envelopes    the    following    form    may   be 
taught  this  year: 


Name  of  person 

Street  address  (if  any) 

Town  or  cit}- 

State  . 

E.r.D. 

(if 

any) 

2.  Narration.  After  many  stories  and  actual  ex- 
periences have  been  told  in  the  oral  story-telling 
work,  good  training  in  the  orderly  arrangement  of 
subject  matter  in  proper  time-sequence  may  be  given 
by  having  the  children  jDut  some  of  these  stories 
and  experiences  into  writing.  The  preparation  of 
original  stories  is  much  easier,  and  the  results  are 
more  satisfactory,  if  the  stories  are  written.  This 
will  give  the  child  time  to  put  more  thought  on 
the  characters  and  the  plot. 

3.  Argument.  Sometimes  it  is  profitable  to  have 
the  oral  argument  followed  by  WTitten  work  of  the 
same  kind.  Each  child  may  be  asked  to  write  a  few 
statements  on  either  side  of  the  question,  or  the  class 
may  be  divided  into  two  groups  and  each  group  asked 
to  write  a  defense  of  one  side  or  the  other.  At  first 
the  children  should  confine  their  statements  to  two 
of  the  best  points  made  in  the  argument. 


GRADE  FOUR 


119 


4.  Description.  General  directions  for  description 
work  in  this  grade  will  be  found  in  the  paragraph 
on  oral  description.  In  writing  compositions  involv- 
ing description  greater  accuracy  is  to  be  expected, 
especially  if  the  object  .or  scene  is  before  the  eyes 
of  the  children.  Descriptions  from  memory  should 
not  be  attem]3ted 
too  often  in  this 
Q-rade. 

5.  Exjjosition. 
General  directions 
for  the  exposition 
work  of  this  grade 
have  been  given 
in  the  paragraph 
on  oral  exposition. 
Written  work  in 
exposition  should 
often  follow  the 
oral,  especially  if 
it  involves  effort  in  the  more  difficult  type  of  the  work, 
which  demands  the  statement,  in  logical  order,  of  the 
different  steps  in  a  process,  as,  for  example,  a  game, 
the  preparation  of  a  garden  plot,  various  processes 
connected  with  farming  operations,  etc. 

6.  Verse-Writing .  Poetry  is  the  form  in  which 
the  literature  of  every  people  first  appeared.  It  must 
therefore  appeal  to  a  natm'al  feeling  for  rhythm  in 
the  hearts  of  all  mankind.  In  view  of  this  fact  the 
memorizing  of  poems  and  gems  of  poetry  during  the 


WINTER  SCENES  OFFER  FIXE  SUBJECTS 
FOR  DESCRIPTION 


120    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

early  years  of  school  life  will  have  a  decided  influ- 
ence in  leading  children  to  form  the  habit  of  using 
language  correctly.  Children  should  be  given  fre- 
quent opportunity  here  and  in  higher  grades  to  give 
expression  in  verse  to  the  feeling  for  rhythm  which 
has  been  intensihed  by  the  memorizing  of  poetry. 
This  work  should  never  be  merely  an  effort  at  mak- 
ing rimes,  but  a  means  of  free  expression  of  feeling. 
Metrical  perfection,  of  course,  is  not  to  be  expected 
here.  The  results  to  be  attained  are  poetic  phrase- 
ology, rime,  and  some  evidence  of  a  feehng  for 
rhythm.  Some  pupils  will  not  be  able  to  do  a  very 
high  type  of  work  along  this  line.  Teachers  will  be 
siu'prised,  however,  at  the  results  of  the  efforts  of 
the  children  at  writing  verse. 

The  work  of  getting  children  to  write  verse  is  not 
difficult,  especially  after  they  have  memorized  quite 
a  few  poems  and  have  had  much  poetry  read  to  them 
by  the  teacher.  The  first  step  is  to  have  the  pupils 
beat  time  as  the  teacher  reads  a  simple  rime.  Several 
children  will  then  follow  the  teacher's  example  as 
she  reads.  It  may  be  well  to  write  several  stanzas  on 
the  board  and  to  have  the  children  place  long  marks 
over  the  strong  beats  and  short  marks  over  the  weak 
ones.  A  number  of  stanzas  should  now  be  examined, 
to  note  the  different  schemes  of  riming.  After  a 
suitable  subject  is  chosen  from  those  discussed  in 
the  conversation  exercises  or  elsewhere,  the  teacher 
should  write  on  the  board  a  few  words  that  were 
used  in  the  oral  work,  and  should  have  the  children 


OKADE  FOUR  121 

pick  out  pairs  that  rime,  or  think  of  words  that  will 
rime  with  certain  ones  in  the  list.  By  combined  class 
effort  and  criticism,  one,  two,  or  three  stanzas  are 
then  composed  and  tested  Ijy  being  beaten  off.  Sev- 
eral children  may  then  try  to  compose  rimes,  the 
teacher  and  class  supplying  a  phrase  now  and  then 
and  assisting  in  the  work  of  testing  the  meter.  A 
good  preparatory  exercise  here  is  to  place  on  the 
board  a  line  selected  from  a  poem  known  to  the  chil- 
dren and  to  have  them  add  a  second  line  that  rimes 
with  it  and  corresponds  in  meter. 

The  following  stanzas  are  the  result  of  the  efforts  of 
cliildren  in  the  third  grade  of  the  Western  Kentucky 
State  Normal  School  Training  School : 

THE  SNOW 

The  snow  is  coming  from  the  sk}-, 

I  guess  it  always  says  good-by. 

w 

The  snow  it  lights  on  eveiy  tree, 

And  sometimes  lights  on  yon  and  me. 

The  snow  it  lights  on  tliistledown, 
And  it  spreads  all  over  the  ground. 

THE  BIRDS 

I  like  to  hear  the  birds  that  sing ; 
I  like  the  wondrous  joy  they  bring. 

The  snowbirds  scamper  in  the  snow, 

As  they  fly  forth  to  and  fro. 
The  birds  sing  in  the  spring. 


122    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

THE  ROBIN 

The  robin  likes  the  snow ; 

«  Oh !  oh !  "  said  he. 
He  sings  when  it  snows 
And  bravely  he  goes 

From  tree  to  tree. 
A  music  of  glory  he  brings. 

The  following  stanza  was  written  by  a  third- 
grade  child  in  another  school : 

DAFFODILS 

Pretty  yellow  daffodils, 
Growing  thick  upon  the  hills ; 
Above  your  heads  the  birds  do  fly, 
Looking  back  against  the  sky  ; 
And  voices  far  and  near 
Birds  and  children  sing  with  cheer, 
For  the  yellow  daffodils, 
Growing  on  the  green-clad  hills 
jNIean  spring,  spring,  spring. 

Imitatr^e  Expression^ 

1.  Copying  Worlx.  The  work  outlined  in  the  pre- 
vious grades  should  be  continued,  but  the  poems  or 
passages  set  for  copying  may  be  somewhat  longer. 
From  the  standpoint  of  language  this  work  is  in- 
tended to  emphasize  good  usage.  For  this  reason 
selections  assigned  should  contain  many  difficult 
words  and  expressions  that  have  given  the  children 
trouble. 

2.  Dictation.  The  discussion  of  this  work  in  the 
two  preceding  grades  will  gi^^  the  general  directions 


GRADE  FOUR  123 

for  doing  it  in  this  grade.  Here  it  becomes  even 
more  important  than  in  the  lower  grades.  The  chil- 
dren should  be  led  to  make  their  own  corrections, 
whether  they  are  writing  at  the  board  or  at  their 
desks.  The  work  should  never  be  allowed  to  drag, 
but  should  move  rapidly  to  keep  up  the  interest. 
In  addition  to  sentences,  short  poems  or  gems  that 
are  being  memorized  may  be  used.  Tests  may  be 
given  occasionally,  in  which  the  children  state  orally 
the  principles  learned  and  find  examples  of  their 
use  in  the  readers  or  elsewhere. 

III.    GENERAL  WORK 

Dictionary  and  Vocabulary  Work 

In  this  grade  some  prehminary  work  looking  to 
the  use  of  the  dictionary  may  be  done.  The  words 
in  short  jmragraphs  may  be  arranged  alphabetically, 
first  according  to  the  first  two  letters,  and  later  ac- 
cording to  three  and  even  four  or  five  letters.  This 
is  to  be  done  as  desk  work.  Regular  work  in  the  use 
of  the  dictionary  will  be  begun  in  the  next  year.  In 
many  schools  lists  of  new  and  important  words  met 
in  the  reading  lessons  are  kept  and  made  the  basis  of 
spelling  lessons  and  discussions,  but  the  value  of  this 
work  is  seriously  questioned  in  view  of  recent  experi- 
ments. Some  work  in  homonyms  may  also  be  done 
here.  Such  words  as  '  weak  '  and  '  week,'  '  sail '  and 
'  sale,'  '  whole  '  and  '  hole,'  '  hall '  and  '  haul,'  may 
be  given  out   orally  and  their  meanings  asked   for. 


124    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Sentences  illustrating  the  meaning  of  these  words  may 
then  be  made.  Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  the 
correct  use  of  the  forms  of  common  irregular  verbs. 

Technical  Matters 

In  addition  to  the  points  outlined  in  previous 
grades  under  this  head,  the  following  should  be  found 
correctly  used  in  the  written  work  during  this  year. 

1.  Cajntals :  names  of  the  Deity  and  pronouns  referring  to 

the  Deity ;  the  word  ^  Bible ' ;  proper  adjectives. 

2.  Punctuation : 

a.  Comma  after  '  Oh ' ;  in  addresses  ;  before  short  direct 

quotations ;  in  series  of  words. 

b.  Quotation  marks :  in  both  simple  and  broken  quotations. 

c.  Apostrophe  :  in  contractions. 

d.  Exclamation  point :  at  close  of  sentences  expressing 

feeling  and  after  interjections. 

3.  Abhreviations :  points  of  compass,  'A.M.,'  'P.M.,'  *U.S.,' 

'Co.,'  'Rev.,'  'sq.  yd.,'  'pk.,'  '  bu.,'  'No.,'  and  others 
needed  in  the  arithmetic  or  composition  work. 

4.  Contractions :  explain  how  made,  and  teach  connnon  ones 

met  in  the  reading  lessons  and  heard  constantly. 
Examples  are  '  I  '11,' '  can't,'  '  is  n't,' '  has  n't,'  'you  '11,' 
'aren't,'  'it 's,'  'I've.'  Emphasize  'don't'  and' does  n't.' 

5.  Grammatical  principles : 

a.  Subject  and  predicate :  the  person  or  thing  that  does 
something  and  the  word  that  tells  what  is  done. 

h.  Nouns  :  possessive  of  plurals ;  plurals  of  words  ending 
in  y  and  of  all  others  met  in  the  reading  or  compo- 
sition work  of  the  grade. 

c.  Verbs :  simple  matters  of  tense,  as  present,  past,  and 

future  time ;  number. 

d.  Adjectives :  descriptive  (simplest  enlargement  of  the 

subject  or  any  noun). 


GRADE  FIVE 

I.   ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Original  Expression. 

1.  Observation  Lessons  and  Reports. 

2.  Recitation  by  Topics. 

3.  Story-Telling. 

4.  Argument. 

5.  Narration. 
G.  Description. 
7.  Exposition. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Memorizing  Work. 

2.  Dramatization. 

II.   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expression. 

1.  Letter-Writing. 

2.  Narration  and  Story. 

3.  Description. 

4.  Exposition. 

5.  Argument. 

6.  Verse-Writing. 

7.  Diary. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Copying  Work. 

2.  Dictation. 

IIL    GENERAL  WORK 

Use  of  Dictionary. 
Word  Study. 
Technical  INIatters. 
125 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

Here,  as  iii  preceding  grades,  oral  language  work  for  its 
own  sake  should  receive  serious  attention.  The  oral  com- 
position, systematically  and  deliberately  brought  to  a  fin- 
ished form,  should  have  a  place  as  important  as  that  given 
the  written  work ;  for,  as  Chubb  ^  says,  "  as  are  a  child's 
habits  of  oral  expression,  so  will  his  habits  of  written 
expression  tend  to  become."'  A  false  idea  lias  heretofore 
kept  oral  language  work  too  much  in  the  background. 
This,  together  with  the  failure  to  criticize  carefully  all 
language  used  by  the  pupil  throughout  his  school  life,  has 
been  largely  responsible  for  the  prevalence  of  incorrect 
speech.  At  least  three  class  periods  each  week  in  language 
work  ought  to  be  devoted  to  oral  language  exercises. 

The  following  are  a  few  of  the  purposes  that  should 
enter  prominently  into  the  work  at  this  stage,  and  with 
mcreasing  importance  later: 

1.  To  develop  logical  thinking,  which  leads  to  discrimi- 
nation and  judgment  in  all  matters,  especially  in  the  use 
of  language. 

2.  To  develop  the  power  of  constructive  criticism  in 
matters  pertaining  to  language  and  thought. 

3.  To  develop  an  appreciation  for  the  beautiful,  both 
in  language  and  in  the  external  world  which  language  is 
used  to  describe. 

4.  To  develop  the  power  to  feel,  and  the  ability  to 
express  emotion  in  a  proper  manner. 

1  The  Teaching  of  English,  p.  109. 
126 


GKADE  FIVE 

I.  OEAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Oeigixal  Exi'REssiox 

1.  Observation  Lessons  and  Beports.  The  method 
of  conductmo-  the  work  will  be  the  same  as  that 
outlined  for  former  grades,  with  a  proper  increase 
in  intensity,  extent,  and  detail.  The  children  should 
be  urged  to  add  to  the  knowledg;e  s-ained  in  obserA'a- 
tion  by  constant  reference  to  supplementary  readers 
and  books  of  reference,  which  every  school  hbrary 
should  contain.  The  reports  should  show  more  signs 
of  logrical  and  accurate  thouo;ht  and  should  be  made 
up  of  complete  and  correct  statements  in  proper 
sequence. 

2.  Recitation  by  Topics.  In  tliis  grade  the  topic 
method  of  recitation  may  be  used  in  geograph}-,  his- 
tory, physiology,  nature  study,  and  reading  lessons 
and  in  observation  reports.  The  method  of  conduct- 
ing the  work  was  outlined  in  the  preceding  grade. 
It  is  especially  useful  in  summarizing  the  main  points 
of  a  lesson,  and  although  it  should  be  used  cautiously, 
it  is  good  language  training  and  l:)ecomes  more  im- 
portant year  by  year.  It  may  profitably  be  used  in 
from  one  fourth  to  one  third  of  the  recitations  in 
the  above  subjects. 

127 


128    LANGUxiGE  \\T)EK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

o.  Stunj-TdiiiKj.  In  this  grade  and  in  higher 
grades  the  story  becomes  a  serious  means  of  securing 
a  better  original  product.  The  pleasurable  element 
still  remains,  but  the  element  of  work  becomes  more 
prominent.  Emphasis  should  be  placed  upon  original 
work    in  this   o;rade.    A  besinnina;   should  be  made 


mi  J  w  ii"     .J 


LANGUAGE  SHOULD  BE  C0KRELATJ:D  WrfH  ALL  SCHOOL  ACTIVITIES 

in  the  definite  study  of  story  structure,  and  certain 
stories  may  be  outlined  by  the  class  with  the  help  of 
the  teacher.  The  division  of  the  work  into  repeated, 
reconstructed,  and  original  stories,  as  given  in  the 
preceding  grade,  will  serve  equally  well  here,  with 
increased  emphasis,  however,  on  the  last.  Some  time 
may  still  be  devoted  to  myths  and  legends,  but  more 
should    be   spent    on   biography   and   on   stories    of 


GKADE  FIVE  129 

adventure  and  discovery,  of  history,  and  of  animal 
life.  Explorations,  discoveries,  and  stories  of  life  at 
various  periods  will  demand  simple  time-sequence ; 
while  battles,  movements  in  a  campaign,  and  matters 
connected  with  political  life  will  require  sequence  of 
both  time  and  cause.  Bible  stories  should  also  be 
given  a  place  in  this  grade.  In  a  word,  stories  used 
at  this  stage  should  concern  those  who  dare  and  do 
things  because  of  simple,  pure  motives.  Xi  least  one 
long  story  should  be  read  and  repeated  to  the  class 
dming  this  year.  "  Robin  Hood  "  and  the  Odyssey 
are  suggested  for  this  purpose. 

4.  Argument.  This  work  becomes  more  important 
here  than  in  the  previous  grade.  Broader  subjects 
may  be  used,  more  logical  statements  should  be  made, 
and  the  children  should  be  held  more  closely  to  the 
point.  After  the  work  has  been  conducted  as  sug- 
gested in  the  preceding  grade,  individuals  may  be 
asked  to  sum  up  the  best  arguments  made  on  both 
sides  of  the  question.  Thus  a  real  debate  on  a  small 
scale  wdll  be  the  result.  The  subjects  chosen  should 
always  be  those  aljout  which  the  children  have  some 
knowledge,  and  in  which  they  may  l)e  led  to  take  an 
interest.  The  work  in  history,  geography,  and  litera- 
ture will  offer  many  interesting  subjects.  The  follow- 
ing are  a  few  that  are  suitable  for  use  in  this  grade : 

Would  the  Amazon  Valley  be  a  good  place  for  farming  ? 
Would  it  be  more  pleasant  to  live  where  it  is  always  summer  ? 
Was  Washington  justified  in   leaving  the  fires  to  deceive 
the  British? 


130    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEISEENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Do  children  who  live  in  the  city  have  a  more  pleasant  life 
than  those  who  live  in  the  country  ? 

Was  the  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin  justified  in  carrying  off 
the  children  ? 

"Was  Robin  Hood  really  dishonest  ■' 

Was  King  Midas's  wish  foolish  ? 

5.  Xcwration.  The  stoiy-tellmg  work  outlined 
above  will  naturally  lead  children  to  tell  actual  ex- 
periences in  their  lives  and  in  the  lives  of  others. 
This  work  is  a  continuation  of  that  outlined  in  the 
preceding  grades.  Here  the  work  should  show  a 
more  logical  arrangement  of  subject  matter  from  the 
standpoint  of  time  and  causal  sequence,  a  fuller 
recital  of  details,  and  a  better  choice  of  words. 

6.  Descrijition.  The  general  order  of  description  in 
this  grade  should  be  from  the  whole  to  the  parts. 
Much  time  may  be  devoted  to  testing  the  children's 
habits  and  power  of  observation  by  having  them 
describe  objects  and  scenes  from  memory.  To  add 
interest  to  the  work  it  may  be  well  to  have  games  or 
tests  in  which  the  honor  will  be  given  to  the  child 
or  the  side  that  can  give  the  greatest  number  of 
points  in  a  description  of  a  scene,  a  picture,  or  an 
object  near  at  hand.  Another  device  is  to  place  a 
nmnber  of  pictures  before  the  class  and  have  each 
child  choose  a  picture,  look  at  it  carefully,  and  then 
describe  it.  The  class  will  then  try  to  guess  the 
name  of  the  picture  from  the  description.  Many  such 
devices  for  doing  work  of  this  sort  in  all  the  grades 
may  be  invented  by  the  ingenious  teacher. 


(rFiADE  FIVE 


131 


The  work  in  description  for  this  grade  may  include 
the  following  kinds :  («)  descriptions  of  objects  or 
scenes  iDefore  the  eyes,  or  of  those  described  in  poems 
and  prose  selections  taken  from  the  reading  lessons, 
where  the  plan  will  be  to  select  a  line  and  have 
the  children  think 
just  what  they 
would  paint  from 
it  if  they  were 
artists,  and  then 
let  them  tell  what 
would  be  in  the 
picture ;  (6)  de- 
scriptions of  the 
physical  appear- 
ance of  persons, 
includinsj  charac- 
ters  in  literature, 
as,  for  example,  Ichabod  Crane  or  John  Alden ;  (c)  de- 
scriptions of  the  character  of  either  real  or  fictitious 
persons. 

7.  Exposition.  The  work  of  the  preceding  grade 
should  be  continued  and  enlarged  here.  The  simplest 
form  of  exposition,  which  merely  gives  interesting 
information  about  a  subject,  is  important  because  it 
demands  investiscation  with  a  view  to  discussions 
before  the  class.  The  orderly  statement  of  the  suc- 
cessive steps  in  a  process,  which  is  a  more  difficult 
type,  should  be  given  more  attention  in  this  grade 
than  in  the  preceding   one.    Only  subjects  dealing 


.t       .. -.           -'"■. 

^M    -  .,.^ 

B^^^^BI^J^v= 

RIVER  VIEWS  OFFER  GOOD  SUBJECTS  FOR 
DESCRIPTIONS 


132    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

with  concrete  things  should  be  selected  during  this 
year,  though  abstract  subjects  may  sometimes  be 
discussed  in  the  grammar  grades.  The  following  sub- 
jects are  simply  suggestive  of  such  as  would  come 
under  the  second  type  of  exposition  mentioned  above : 

How  to  ventilate  a  room  (in  connection  with  work  in 
hygiene). 

How  to  get  rid  of  mosquitoes,  flies,  etc.  (in  connection  with 
the  work  of  civic  leagues). 

How  to  make  a  bird  box. 

How  to  grow  good  onions  (in  connection  with  school-garden 
work). 

How  to  cultivate  corn  (in  connection  with  boys'  corn-club 
work). 

How  to  can  peaches  (in  connection  with  domestic-science 
work). 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Memorizing  Work.  This  work  is  a  continuation 
of  that  already  described.  Children  may  be  allowed 
to  memorize  poems  from  the  printed  page  in  this 
grade  and  in  higher  grades,  but  only  after  the  selec- 
tions have  been  thoroughly  studied  in  class.  In  addi- 
tion to  poems,  memory  gems,  and  a  psalm,  outlines 
of  lessons  in  the  various  subjects  may  be  made  and 
memorized  by  the  pupils.  Short  extracts  from  great 
speeches  or  selections  from  prose  literature  may  also 
be  memorized  in  this  grade.  The  preparation  and 
memorizing  of  outlines  of  matter  contained  in  lessons 
in  geography  or  history  help  the  child  to  sift  out 
and  keep  the  important  ideas  on  a  printed  page. 
Only   poems    of    genuine    literary   merit    should   be 


GRADE  FIVE 


183 


memorized.  Memory  gems  may  be  repeated  at  the 
opening  exercises  of  the  day,  as  well  as  in  the  regular 
language  classes.  About  six  poems,  one  psalm,  three 
or  four  prose  selections,  and  a  dozen  memory  gems 
should  be  learned  during  the  year. 


TENT  DWELLERS  — A  HISTORICAL  PLAY 

Poems  suital^le  for  use  in  this  grade  may  be  found 
in  Appendix  B.  The  following  poems  are  suggested, 
to  give  the  teacher  a  wider  range  of  choice. 

Longfellow,  H.  AV.  :  Paul  Revere's  Ride;  The  Wreck  of 
the  Hesperus. 

Bryant,  W.  C.  :  The  Planting  of  the  Apple  Tree. 
Whittier,  J.  G. :  The  Corn  Song ;  The  Huskers. 
Riley,  J.  W. :  Knee-deep  in  June. 
Holmes,  0.  W. :  The  Deacon's  Masterpiece. 
SouTHEY,  Robert  :  The  Battle  of  Blenheim. 
Field,  Eugene  :  The  Dream-ship. 
Jackson,  H.  H.  :  October's  Bright  Blue  Weather. 
Lowell,  J.  R.  :  A  Christmas  Carol. 


lU    LANGUAGE  \V()KK  IN  ELEMENT  All  Y  SCHOOLS 

It  is  well  to  choose  poems  that  emphasize  the 
thought  underlying  some  special  work  that  is  being 
done  during  the  year.  For  example,  if  the  long  story 
assigned  for  the  year  is  "  Robin  Hood,"  nature 
poems,  stirring  ballads,  and  poems  of  loyalty  to 
leadership    should    be    given   a   place,    as : 

Shakespeare,  \\'illiam  :  Under  the  Greenwoofl  Tree ; 
When  Icicles  Hang  b}'  tlie  Wall. 

Lowell,  J.  R. :  What  is  so  Rare  as  a. Day  in  Jnne  ?  (selec- 
tion from  "  The  Vision  of  Sir  Launfal''). 

Wordsworth,  William  :  March. 

Scott,  Walter  :  Lochinvar. 

Whitmax,  Walt  :  0  Captain  !  JNIy  Captain  ! 

For  the  prose  work  selections  from  the  folloAving 
may  be  chosen : 

Lee,  Hexry  :  On  the  Death  of  Washington. 

Wirt,  William  :  No  Excellence  without  Labor. 

.Grady,  H.  W.  :  The  New  South. 

Beecher,  H.  W.  :  Our  Honored  Dead. 

Mabie,  H.  W.  :  The  Doors  of  Opportunity. 

Sumxer,  Charles  :  War. 

Bible  (Book  of  Acts)  :  Paul's  Sj^eech  before  Agrippa. 

2.  Dramatization.  Most  of  the  directions  given 
for  this  work  in  the  preceding  grade  will  serve  here. 
The  activity  of  the  year  in  the  play  work  should 
give  evidence  of  a  growing  originality  and  sponta- 
neity in  adapting  stories  to  the  dramatic  work,  and 
of  a  better  appreciation  of  the  dramatic  element  in 
the  hterature  read  and  studied.  An  original  -play, 
showing  originality  of  thought  and  appreciation  of 


GPvADE  FIVE  135 

plot,  should  be  the  object  of  the  year's  work.  This 
play  may  be  built  up  from  the  material  fouud  in  the 
long  story  assigned  for  the  year,  and  may  be  given 
in  pubhc.  The  play  in  final  written  form  should  be 
the  result  of  the  combined  efforts  of  the  class.  This 
cooperation  gives  the  work  a  social  motive.    At  least 


"ROBIN  HUUD"  — A  FIFTH-GRADE  ADAPTED  PLAY 

three  finished  plays,  including  the  original  one.  is 
the  probable  amount  of  the  year's  work  in  drama- 
tization. One  of  these  may  profitably  be  rendered 
in  public.  The  semiacting  of  selections  taken  from 
the  dramatic  readers  and  from  the  regular  readino; 
books  "used  in  the  class  should  be  emphasized  here, 
as  in  former  grades,  to  develop  greater  naturalness 
of  expression. 


136     LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

II.    WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expression 

Most  of  the  directions  for  the  written  composition 
work  in  the  preceding  grade  will  serve  here.  As  indi- 
cated in  previous  grades  oral  discussion  of  the  subject 
should  always  precede  the  written  work.  After  the 
pupils  have  exchanged  papers  and  corrected  them 
as  well  as  they  can,  the  papers  should  be  corrected 
by  the  teacher  and  handed  back"  to  the  pupils  on 
the  following  day  or  at  the  time  they  are  discussed 
in  the  class.  The  worst  papers,  or  perhaps  all  that 
are  not  good,  should  be  rewritten. 

Two  periods  each  week  should  be  devoted  to  the 
written  composition  work,  while  some  writing  should 
be  done  almost  every  day.  The  composition  may 
consist  of  one,  two,  or  even  three  paragraphs,  accord- 
ing to  the  nature  of  the  subject.  Neatness  in  the 
general  appearance  of  the  page,  and  uniformity  in  the 
size  and  kind  of  paper  used,  should  be  demanded. 
The  teacher  should  see  that  the  margins  and  inden- 
tions of  paragraphs  are  according  to  the  best  usage, 
and  that  the  date  and  the  name  of  the  pupil  are 
in  the  proper  place. 

Each  teacher  will  probably  invent  her  own  system 
of  correction  marks.  The  following  system  is  a  simple 
one  and  is  intended  to  be  merely  suggestive.  A  more 
complete  one  is  given  in  the  grammar  grades. 

1.  Punctuation :  A  cross  (X)  is  put  at  the  place  of  error. 

2.  Spelling :  Words  misspelled  are  underlined  and  "  sp  "  is 
■written  above,  or  in  the  margin  opposite. 


GRADE  FTVK  137 

3.  Capitalization :  .Small  letters  that  should  be  capitals  are 
underlined  three  times ;  capitals  that  should  be  small  letters 
have  three  lines  placed  above  them. 

4.  False  sijntax :  Words  or  groups  of  words  used  incorrectly 
with  respect  to  grammatical  rules  are  underlined,  and  "  syn  " 
is  written  above,  or  in  the  margin  opj)Osite. 

5.  Omission  of  word  or  ivords :  A  caret  (A)  is  put  at  the 
place  of  omission,  and  the  word  or  words  to  be  inserted  are 
written  abo\H'. 

6.  General  criticisms,  both  good  and  bad,  are  placed  on 
the  back  of  the  composition.  These  include  such  matters  as 
neatness,  unity,  sentence  structure,  arrangement,  etc. 

Tlie  following  are  the  types  of  written  composition 
work  that  may  be  attempted  in  this  grade : 

1.  Letter-Writing .  The  knowledge  of  the  complete 
letter  form,  with  its  variations  to  suit  different  kinds 
of  letters,  is  perfected  in  this  grade.  The  various 
kinds  will  include  social  letters,  business  letters,  notes 
of  invitation  and  acceptance,  letters  of  sympathy  and 
congratulation,  bills,  receipts,  etc.  Have  the  children 
write  letters  ordering  books  or  supplies  for  them- 
selves or  the  school,  and  have  them  learn  to  fill  out 
checks  and  money  orders.  The  best  work  should  be 
used.  Have  them  also  write  invitations  to  school 
parties  or  entertainments,  or  letters  of  congratula- 
tion to  some  real  person,  or  letters  of  sympathy  to 
a  classmate  who  is  ill.  Correspondence  with  friends 
and  relatives  should  be  encourag-ed  and  directed.  A 
cooperative  letter,  formulated  by  the  combined  efforts 
of  the  whole  class,  may  be  sent  to  the  fifth-grade  lan- 
guage class  in  a  neighboring  school.  Further  work 
in  the  addressing  of   envelopes,   showing  the  many 


188    LANGUAGE  WOKK  12s  ELEME^TART  S(;H00LS 

changes  necessary  in  various  addresses,  should  be  done 
this  year.  The  narrations,  descriptions,  and  exposi- 
tions should  occasionally  be  put  in  letter  form,  to 
break  the  monotony  of  the  regular  composition  form. 
2.  JSfcuTatioii.  The  shorter  stories  that  are  learned 
in  the  story  work  may  frequently  be  put  in  written 


SCENE  FROM  "ROBIN  HOOD"  AT  REHEARSAL  OF  PLAY 


form,  to  develop  accuracy  in  details  and  in  phraseology. 
It  will  emphasize  stories  of  biography  and  of  the  hfe 
of  other  days  to  have  them  put  in  writing.  The  origi- 
nal story  and  the  narration  of  actual  experiences  are 
especially  adapted  to  the  written  composition  form. 
Some  definite  work  in  writing  short  fictitious  stories 
should  be  begun  in  this  grade.  Stories  learned  or  read 
may  give  inspiration  and  serve  as  models  for  this 


GKADE  FIVE 


139 


work.  In  the  written  story  work  a  motive  should, 
whenever  possible,  prompt  the  work.  These  stories 
may  be  read  at  home,  or  they  may  form  a  book  of 
stories  for  next  year's  class  or  for  immediate  use 
in  the  primary  grades. 

3.  Description.   The  general  directions  given  under 
oral  lansruagre  work  mav  be  followed  here.    The  chief 


THE  SCHOOLHOUSE  AND  GKOUNDS  WILL  L!E  A  GOOD  SUB-JECT 
FOR  WRITTEN  DESCRIPTION 

aim  should  Ije  to  make  the  description  on  paper  so 
clear  that  the  reader  can  really  see  the  thing  —  its 
shape,  size,  color,  and  other  details.  The  teacher 
should  collect  for  herself  many  descriptions  of  people, 
buildings,  landscapes,  etc.,  to  be  read  to  the  children 
and  discussed  with  them. 

4.  Exposition.  The  discussion  under  oral  language 
work  will  give  sufficient  directions  for  the  written 
work  here.    Clearness  may  be  gained  by  having  the 


140    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

children  write  a  lesson  assignment,  a  recipe,  instruc- 
tions for  a  game,  etc.,  which  can  be  put  into  actual 
use.  The  children  feel  the  necessity  of  being  exact, 
complete,  and  definite  if  they  know  that  their  com- 
positions are  to  be  used. 

5.  Argmnent.  As  suggested  in  the  previous  grade, 
the  oral  argument  should  occasionally  be  followed 
by  written  work.  Greater  definiteness  of  statement 
is  secured  in  the  written  form.  At  this  stage  the 
pupils  should  confine  themselves  to  two  or  three  of 
the  best  points  brought  out  in  the  oral  discussion. 
Simple  work  in  preparing  outlines  containing  the 
points  made  on  either  side  of  a  question  may  be 
begun  either  here  or  in  the  following  grade. 

6.  Verse-Writing.  The  work  outlined  in  the  pre- 
vious grade  should  be  continued  and  enlarged  here. 
The  teacher  should  be  ready  to  detect  special  talent 
in  this  kind  of  composition  and  to  give  special  en- 
couragement to  the  child  possessing  it.  The  writing 
of  verse  for  special  occasions,  seasons,  and  events 
should  be  emphasized.  Christmas,  Thanksgiving,  the 
first  snow  or  frost,  the  March  winds,  the  first  violets 
upon  the  hillside,  etc.  are  suggestions. 

7.  Diary.  It  is  a  good  idea  to  have  each  child 
in  this  grade  and  above  keep  a  little  notebook  or 
diary,  in  which  he  may  from  day  to  day  record,  in 
concise  language,  statements  about  matters  in  which 
he  is  personally  interested.  These  matters  will  in- 
clude the  child's  own  ideas  on  various  subjects,  inci- 
dents of  importance  in  his  life,  happenings  of  interest 


GEADE  FIVE  141 

in  the  community,  weather  observations,  etc.  The 
little  books  should  be  taken  up  every  two  weeks  or 
thereabouts  and  carefully  inspected  by  the  teacher.  A 
few  directions  from  time  to  time  as  to  method,  form, 
etc.  will  be  found  necessary.  The  special  purpose  of 
this  work,  from  a  language  standpoint,  is  to  develop 
the  power  to  say  much  in  as  few  words  as  possible. 

The  following  extract  is  a  page  taken  from  the 
diary  of  a  hfth-grade  boy : 

May  21,  1915 

Sunshine,  but  rather  windy.  Weather  Bureau  predicts  rain 
for  to-day. 

Our  team  beat  sixth  grade  in  ball  game  yesterday,  15  to  12. 
Charlie  Baker  made  a  home  run.    I  made  three  errors. 

Talked  about  war  in  current  topics ;  seems  that  the  whole 
world  is  going  to  war.    I  hope  Germany  will  get  whipped. 

Worked  in  school  garden  with  class  half  an  hour.  Beans  are 
blooming :  gathered  some  lettuce,  radishes,  and  onions.  Will 
have  peas  next  week. 

School  will  soon  be  out ;  getting  ready  for  commencement 
now.    I'll  not  be  sorry. 

iMrrATivE  Expression 

1.  CopyiiKj  Work.  Copying  work,  correlated  with 
language  work  as  suggested  in  the  preceding  grades, 
may  be  continued  here.  Good  usage  may  be  taught 
in  this  way. 

2.  DictatioH.  The  work  of  the  preceding  grade 
should  be  continued  and  emphasized  here.  This  is 
very  important  work,  the  purpose  of  which  is  to 
teach  correct  usage  in  punctuation,  capitalization,  etc., 


142    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

and  it  may  be  used  to  fill  in  many  odd  moments 
in  the  language  periods.  The  following  devices  are 
suggested  for  use  here :  (a)  A  short  passage,  either 
from  prose  or  from  poetry,  may  be  dictated  instead 
of  single  sentences.  (/^)  A  passage  from  the  reader  may 
be  dictated  after  it  has  been  read  and  studied, 
(c)  An  unpunctuated  paragraph  may  ])&  placed  on 
the  board,  and  the  children  may  copy  and  punctuate 
it,  giving  the  reasons  for  their  marks. 

III.    GENERAL  WORK 

Use  of  DicTioxAitY 

Systematic  effort  should  be  made  this  year  to  in- 
crease the  child's  usable  vocabulary  by  teaching  him 
to  use  the  dictionary.  Each  child  should  possess  a 
small  dictionary  in  which  the  meanings  given  are 
not  merely  synonyms,  and  should  form  the  haljit  of 
looking  up  the  meanings  of  words  that  are  difficult 
to  understand  in  any  of  his  lessons,  particularly  the 
reading  lessons.  The  child  should  be  taught  to  draw 
his  own  conclusion  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  word, 
both  from  the  sentence  under  consideration  and  from 
the  definition  given  in  the  dictionary.  The  word 
should  then  be  used  in  another  sentence  composed  by 
the  child.  Sufficient  knowledge  of  diacritical  marks 
should  be  gained  this  year  to  work  out  the  pronun- 
ciation of  the  words  whose  meanings  are  looked  up. 
The  following  are  directions  for  introducing  the  use 
of  the  dictionary : 


GRADE  FIVK 


143 


1.  The  work  of  arranging  words  in  alpLabetical 
order,  which  was  begun  in  the  preceding  grade,  should 
be  continued  for  a  short  time  this  year.  All  new^ 
words  met  in  the  reading  lessons,  with  tlieir  marking 
and  meanings,  may  be  kept  in  this  wa}'.  Al)Out  once 
a  week  these  words  may  be  used  as  a  spelling  lesson. 


k^^iOi^^^^^^^HH 

W 

1-m  ;;f ' 

'^^^H 

HPM 

i-'. 

o 

1  "-^ 

m^mmi§^. 

¥mm 

^^^ 

OUTDOOR  GAMKS  OFFKIt  Cool)  SFH-IKCTS  FoR  EXPOS  1  1  ,.  .\ 

2.  In  all  subjects  have  pupils  find  in  the  dictionary 
the  meanings  of  all  words  that  they  do  not  under- 
stand. This  may  be  done  either  at  the  desks  or  in  the 
recitation.  Interest  may  be  aroused  by  asking  the 
children  who  will  be  first  to  find  the  word  and  give 
its  meanino;.  The  children  should  be  shown  that 
nouns  appear  in  the  dictionary  only  in  the  singular 
form,  and  that  verbs  appear  only  in  the  present  tense. 


144    LANGUAGE  AYOKK   IX  KLEMEXTAKY  SCHOOLS 

They  slioLikl  also  Ije  shown  how  to  l(jok  for  words  by 
watching  the  guide  words  at  tlie  top  of  the  page. 

3.  The  diacritical  marks  on  the  key  words  will 
have  to  be  taught,  so  that  the  children  may  be  able  to 
get  the  correct  pronunciation  along  with  the  meanings 
of  the  words.  (Jorrect  pronunciation  involves  giving 
the  correct  sound  of  each  letter,  the  correct  division 
into  syllables,  and  the  correct  accent. 

W(>i;i)   Study    • 

In  this  grade  some  knowledge  of  the  formation  of 
words  by  the  addition  of  prefixes  and  sulhxes  should 
l)e  gained.  This  will  assist  the  child  to  increase  his 
usable  vocabulary,  and  will  tend  to  make  ^vords  really 
"  signs  of  ideas  "  to  him.  This  work  may  be  done  in 
the  spelling  lessons,  and  examples  of  the  point  under 
consideration  should  be  collected  from  words  found  in 
the  readino;  lessons  or  elsewhere.  The  meanino;  of 
a  few  of  the  commoner  Anglo-Saxon,  Latin,  and  Greek 
prefixes  and  suffixes  used  in  forming  English  words 
ma}'  be  taught  this  year.  These  forms  are  studied  for 
tlieir  meaning  only ;  hence  the  teacher  should  have 
little,  if  anything,  to  say  of  the  source  from  which 
they  come.    The  following  are  suggested : 

Prp:fixe.s 

Anglo-Saxon :  fore-  (before),  forete\\\  mis-  (wrong  or 
"wi'ongly),  ?// i*-behave  ;  over-  (over),  oveAodk. 

Latin:  ante-  (before),  antecedent;  po-^t-  (after),  ^>os^script ; 
jtre-  (before),  j9?'efix ;  trans,  tra-  (across),  transiev ;  re-  (back, 
again),  return,  renew. 

Greek  :  anfl-  (against),  anflse]}tic  ;  2^>'o-  (before),  j9?'ogram. 


GRADE  FIVE 


14. 


Suffixes 

Anglo-Sao:on :     -man,     post/y/an ;     -sh'qj,     'AMthovship ;     -fid, 
wonder/*«i?;  -less,  fear/e6's ;  -like,  saintlike;  -isli,   woman  t-vA. 

Latin :  -er,   -or,  archer,   doctor  ;   -ess,  godd^'.s.s- ;  -fij,  cruel^// : 
-able,  -ble,  sulohle,  soluble ;    -ft/,  niagni///. 

Greek:  -ism,  i'epublican«.s'w  ;  -i.s^,  art<.si^ ;  -is:e,  hiuiuuia-t'. 

Some  attention  should  also  be  paid  to  the  study 
of  hoiuonyms,  synonyms,  irregular  A^erbs,   etc. 


HOMOXV3IS 

pray,  prey 

red,  read 

vale, 

veil 

creak,  creek 

need,  knead 

herd, 

heard 

lesson,  lessen 

mail,  male 

night 

,  knight 

bare,  bear 

rain,  reign 

coarse,  course 

soul,  sole 

plain,  ])lane 

lKKE(iL:L.\K    YekBS 

bow. 

bough,  etc. 

come        came 

come                  see 

saw 

seen 

take         took 

taken                 lie 

lay 

lain 

lay          laid 

kid                     throw 

threw      thrown 

go            went 

gone                  sit 

sat 

sat 

do           did 

done                  Avear 

woi'c 

worn 

Technical  ^Iatters 

In  addition  to  the  points  outlined  under  this  head 
in  previous  grades,  the  following  should  be  taught 
during  the  year  in  connection  Avith  the  Aarious  kinds 
of  language  Avork : 

1.  Capitals:  'North,'  'South,'  etc.  (as  part  of  the  country 

and  not  as  points  of  the  compass);  names  of  objects 
personified. 

2.  Punctuation : 

a.  Comma:  after  'yes'  and  'no"  in  answers;  to  mark 
oil  clauses  and  phrases. 


146    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

h.  Quotation  marks  :  in  broken  quotations. 
r.  Hyphen :  in  compound  words. 

3.  Abbreviations:  'Hon./  'Gov./  'M.D./  ^  Jr./  'Sr./  'Supt./ 

'Maj./  'Kev./  etc. 

4.  Contractions:    additional    words,    as    4s  n't/    Hhey '11/ 

"  they  're/  '  could  n"t/  '  can't/  etc. 

5.  Gra.mmatiifil  principles : 

a.  Noun :    object  of  verb ;    object  of  preposition  ;    coni- 

})0und  nouns ;  possessive  plural  of  nouns  like 
'  negro/  '  mulatto/  '  ])otato/  etc.,  of  couqxnind  nouns, 
of  words  endin,^-  in /' or /V  cha"nging-  to  n-s  (fifteen 
in  all),  and  of  otlin-  irregular  nouns,  as  'men,' 
'  geese,,'   '  children/   vie. 

b.  Pronoun :  distinguish  kinds,  beginning  Avith  the  use 

of  the  relative  clause ;  objective  case. 

c.  Adjective  :  simplest  form  of  comparison. 

<Z.' Adverb:  modifying  verb  and  adjective ;  comparison. 

e.  Verb :  transitive. 

/.  Phrases   and    clauses :    continue    study    of    these    as 

modifiers    expanded    from    the    adjective   and    the 

adverb. 


GRADE  SIX 

I.    ORAL   LAXGUACxE  WOKK 

Okiginal  Expressiox. 

1.  Recitation  by  Topics. 

2.  Oral  Reports:   (a)  Observation  Reports:   (/>)  Book  Reviews; 

(f)  Current  Jh-ents. 

3.  Narration. 

4.  Description. 

5.  Exposition. 

6.  Argument. 

7.  Talks  from  Outlines. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Memorizing  Work. 

2.  Dramatization. 

II.   WRITTEX  LAXGUACiE  WORK 
Original  Expressiox. 

1.  Letter- A^'riting. 

2.  Xarration. 

3.  Description. 

4.  Exposition. 

5.  Argument. 

6.  Verse- Writing. 

7.  Diary. 

8.  Preparation  of  Outlines. 

Imitative  Expression. 
1.  Dictation. 

in.   GENERAL  WORK 
Use  of  Dictionary. 
Word  Study. 
Technical  Matters. 

147 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

The  ideals  that  shape  the  work  of  this  grade  are  about 
the  same  as  those  outhned  for  the  preceding  year.  The 
problem  of  building  a  usable  vocabulary  by  the  use  of  the 
dictionary  and  by  the  definite  study  of  word  formation  be- 
comes more  serious  here,  and  certain  important  principles 
of  grammar  should  be  taught,  by  use  rather  than  by 
definite  rules.  The  ability  to  speak  without  preparation 
several  logically  connected  sentences  on  a  given  subject 
should  be  expected  in  pupils  of  this  grade,  while  short 
talks  h-oni  outlines  should  be  given  an  important  place. 
The  language  of  the  recitations,  both  oral  and  ^viitten, 
should  show  a  marked  growth  in  maturity  of  thought, 
in  correctness  of  idiom  and  of  grammatical  construction. 
As  emphasized  before,  the  language  of  all  recitations 
should  be  carefully  criticized,  so  that  a  more  correct  use 
of  words  and  better  sentence  structure  may  be  secured. 
In  all  the  language  work  of  this  grade  the  definite  aim 
should  be  to  relate  the  child's  classroom  work  to  the 
actual  life  he  is  living.  The  description  and  observation 
work  should  center  about  home  activities  and  objects 
closely  associated  with  the  child's  environment.  Real 
letters  should  be  written  for  definite  purposes ;  subjects  for 
argument  should  touch  community  industries  and  prob- 
lems ;  and  exposition  should  take  up  subjects  connected 
with  household  arts,  everyday  games,  and  the  industrial 
life  of  the  community. 


148 


GKADE  SIX 

I.  OKAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Oeigixal  Expression 

1.  Reeitation  hif  Topics.  In  this  grade  the  recitation 
by  topics  tends  to  make  children  speak  more  clearly, 
coherently,  and  logically.  It  may  be  used  here  in 
geography,  physiology,  history,  nature  study,  and 
reading  lessons,  and  in  oral  reports.  When  the  topic 
is  assigned  before  the  recitation,  an  outline  made  by 
the  pupil  may  occasionally  lie  used.  It  is  better  in 
this  grade  to  assign  the  topics  after  the  class  has 
assembled  for  the  recitation. 

2.  Oral  JiejM))ix.  The  oral  reports  in  this  grade 
may  be  divided  as  follows : 

a.  Observation  Reports.  This  work  has  been  sutti- 
ciently  discussed  in  former  grades.  It  is  very  impor- 
tant in  all  the  grades,  not  only  as  a  language  exercise 
but  as  a  means  of  developing  habits  of  observation. 
Mental  pictures  formed  by  children  of  this  grade 
should  show  a  greater  degree  of  clearness,  and  the 
language  of  the  report  a  corresponding  growth  in 
matm'ity. 

h.  Book  Reviews.  Children  should  be  taught  to 
read  books  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  able  to  make  an 

149 


ViO    LANGUAGE  W  UKK  i^■  ELEMEM'xVKV  .SCHOOLS 

iutellioeut  review  of  their  contents.  A  small  amount 
of  such  work  may  be  attempted  this  year,  at  least  two 
books  suitable  for  work  in  this  grade  being  read  at 
liome  and  reviewed  before  the  class  by  each  pupil  dur- 
ing the  year.  In  the  same  way,  magazine  and  news- 
paper articles  of  value  may  be  read  and  reviewed 
l)efore  the  class.  The  child  may  be  allow^ed  to  use  an 
outline  of  the  contents  of  the  book  or  article.  The 
following  books  are  suggested  for  this  work  in  this 
grade : 

Aldrich,  T.  1>.  :  ^'he  Story  of  a  Bad  Boy. 
Fkanklin,  Bexjamix  :  Autobiograph}' 
Alcott,  Loui.sa  M.  :  Little  Women. 
Cooper,  J.  F. :  Last  of  the  Mohicans. 
Hughes,  Thomas  :  Tom  Brown  at  Rugby. 
Hale,  E.  E.  :  The  jNIan  withoiit  a  Country. 

c.  Ciurent  Events.  Children  should  be  led  to  take 
an  interest  in  matters  of  general  interest  that  happen 
from  time  to  time  either  in  the  immediate  locality 
or  an^^where  in  the  outside  world.  In  the  language 
period,  time  should  frequently  be  devoted  to  reports 
on  such  events.  The  opening  exercises  of  the  day 
may  occasionally  be  devoted  to  this  work,  and  some- 
times all  the  children  in  the  school  should  be  m^ged 
to  take  part.  A  connected  report  on  some  matter  of 
special  interest  may  be  secured  by  assigning  topics 
to  several  pupils  beforehand.  This  work  may  be 
made  more  interesting  by  leading  the  class  to  ask 
questions  about  the  topic  imder  discussion.  Current 
events  often  offer   good  subjects  for  arguments  or 


GEADE  SIX  151 

debates.  They  should  find  a  place  on  the  program 
at  least  once  a  week. 

3.  Narration.  In  addition  to  the  narration  work 
outhned  in  the  preceding  grade,  many  of  the  facts 
of  history  may  be  taught  here  by  continuing  the 
stories  of  great  men,  of  discoveries  and  inventions, 
of  life  at  various  times,  etc.  The  legend  and  myth 
should  continue  to  have  a  place  in  the  story  work. 
Stories  of  King  Arthur  and  his  knights,  and  of  Greek 
and  Roman  legendary  heroes,  are  good  to  use  here. 
Bible  stories  are  still  interesting  in  this  grade.  These 
stories  should  usually  be  read  l^y  the  children,  but 
the  teacher  may  occasionally  read  or  tell  the  class 
a  story  and  ask  for  a  repetition. 

The  three  t;)^es  of  stories  mentioned  in  the  pre- 
ceding grade  may  all  l)e  continued  here.  The  recon- 
structed and  original  stories,  however,  are  more 
important  than  the  repeated  story,  because  they 
demand  more  thought.  Special  emphasis  ought  to 
be  placed  on  the  original  story,  which  should  occa- 
sionally be  put  in  written  form.  After  considerable 
time  has  been  devoted  to  this  work,  the  class  may 
compose  a  story  as  a  cooperative  work  and  allow 
the  lower  grades  to  use  it. 

The  story  work  will  naturally  lead  to  original  nar- 
ration of  actual  experiences.  Children  in  this  grade 
should  be  able  to  tell  pleasingly,  and  with  proper  time- 
sequence,  experiences  that  they  have  had  or  about 
which  they  have  heard.  Experiences  in  industrial 
work,  such  as  making  benches  for  the  playground  or 


152    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTAilY  SCHOOLS 

ventilatiug  boards  for  sclioolrooiu  windows,  repairing 
window  shades,  and  laying  off  a  baseball  diamond, 
may  be  related.  Correlation  with  geography  may  be 
effected  by  having  the  children  tell  stories  of  imagi- 
nary trips,  describing  the  people  and  their  dress  and 
the  crops,  vegetation,  rivers,  and  other  matters  of 
interest  in  the  countries  visited.  An  imaginary  trip 
in  an  aeroplane,  or  on  a  train,  or  ]jy  ship,  from 
New  York  to  San  Francisco,  London  to  Rome,  or 
Pekino-  to  Calcutta,  would  l)rino;  out  nianv  inter- 
esting  facts. 

4.  Description.  The  different  types  of  description 
outlined  in  the  preceding  grade  should  form  the  basis 
of  the  work  here.  At  this  stage  much  attention 
should  be  given  to  the  unity  and  coherence  of  the 
statements  and  to  the  order  in  which  the  details  are 
given.  The  children  should  be  taught  that  all  details 
are  not  of  equal  rank,  and  that  the  order  of  procedure 
should  be  from  wholes  to  parts,  the  parts  being  given 
in  the  order  of  their  prominence  and  importance. 
Selections  of  model  descriptions  taken  from  standard 
sources  should  be  read  to  the  class  from  time  to  time, 
or  members  of  the  class  may  be  allowed  to  give  from 
memory  a  bit  of  description  from  some  such  source, 
following  the  original  as  closely  as  possible.  Children 
should  also  study  good  descriptions  for  themselves, 
selecting  them  occasionally  from  sources  other  than 
their  textbooks.  This  work  may  be  correlated  with 
geography  by  having  the  children  describe  local 
landscapes  or  remote  scenes  referred  to  in  reading 


GRADE  SIX 


ir,.s 


lessons,  or  with  history  by  taking  as  subjects  battle- 
fields and  historic  buildings  and  places,  liuskin's 
descriptions  of  Europe,  and  those  of  Hawthorne  in 
"  Our  Old  Home,"  are  good  models  of  description. 
The  picture  game  suggested  for  use  in  the  preceding 
grade  may  be  played  with  intei-est  lieiv.  This  game 
may  be  varied  l)v  haviny;  a  familial-  ul/u'ct  des('ril)ed 


THE    ^rOKE    INTEUESTIXG     rHIC    SUBJECT     THE    BETTER    THE 
COMPOSITTOX 


by  one  child,  after  which  tlie  rest  of  the  class  are 
to  guess  what  the  object  is.  The  observation  reports 
will  be  largely  description  work. 

").  Eiqjosition.  The  work  outlined  for  the  preced- 
ing grade  should  be  continued  and  enlarged  here. 
Increased  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  unity  and 
coherence  of  the  subject  matter  of  the  composition. 
Subjects  used  in  this  grade  should  usually  be  con- 
crete, such  as  the  value  of  railroads  to  a  country : 


154    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

how  to  play  tennis ;  how  to  make  ventilating  boards 
for  schoolroom  windows ;  the  value  of  good  roads  to 
a  country  ;  birds,  useful  and  destructive.  Occasionally 
an  abstract  topic  may  be  introduced,  such  as  honesty 
in  examinations,  or  a  girl's  duty  to  her  mother  in 
the  home. 

6.  Argument.  The  ideas  suggested  for  this  work 
in  the  two  j^i'eceding  grades  will  give  general  direc- 
tions for  it  here.  The  subjects  used  should  demand 
more  thought,  and  the  discussion  of  them  should  be- 
gin to  show  a  reasonable  insight  into  such  matters  as 
the  social  and  economic  life  of  the  community.  Such 
subjects,  then,  as  the  following  will  be  found  espe- 
cially suitable  for  use  in  this  grade :  Should  we  demand 
cleaner  grocery  stores  ?  Should  every  home  be  forced 
to  have  a  garbage  can?  Should  a  man  who  owns 
no  property  be  allowed  to  vote?  Current  events, 
history,  and  physiology  will  offer  many  interesting 
subjects  for  this  work.  Single  sentences  making 
one  point  in  the  argument  should  gradually  lead 
to  several  sentences  giving  logical  reasons  for  each 
point  made.  Children  may  be  allowed  to  talk  from 
outlines  prepared  before  the  recitation. 

7.  Talks  from  Outlines.  The  oral  work  in  almost 
all  the  preceding  types  of  composition  may  occasion- 
ally be  given  from  outlines  prepared  by  the  pupils 
before  the  recitation.  The  speaker  should  always 
face  the  class,  and  his  classmates  should  be  asked  to 
make  kind  and  specific  criticisms  of  both  good  and 
bad  points  in  the  subject  matter  and  delivery. 


GRADE  SIX 
Imitative  Expeession 


155 


1.  Memorizing  Work.  The  work  of  the  preceding 
grades  should  be  continued  here.  Poems,  memory 
gems,  and  longer  prose  selections,  including  a  psalm, 
should  be  the  basis  of  all  this  work.    An  old  hvmn 


ALL  SCHOOL  ACTIVITIES  SHOULD  BE  DRAWN  UPON  BY  THE 
LANGUAGE  TEACHER 

may  be  substituted  for  the  psalm.  For  prose  selec- 
tions, extracts  from  famous  speeches  and  from  such 
standard  literature  as  Irving's  "Sketch  Book"  and 
Hawthorne's  "Twice  Told  Tales"  may  be  used.  The 
teacher  should  be  careful  to  choose  some  poems  that 
deal  with  subjects  of  natm-e,  and  others  containing 
an  element  of  narration.  It  is  well  to  correlate  the 
poems  learned  Avith  the  month  or  season  of  the  year. 


156    LANGUAGE  AVOliK  IX  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 

At  least  eight  poems,  twelve  nieinoiy  gems,  and 
four  jDrose  selections  should  be  memorized  and  recited 
during  the  year.  The  selections  should  always  be 
studied  in  the  reading  lessons  before  memorizing 
is  begun.  Frequent  opportunity  to  repeat  selections 
learned  in  previous  years  should  be  given. 

Poems  suitable  for  use  in  this  grade  may  be  found 
in  Appendix  B.  The  following  are  suggested,  in  order 
that  the  teacher  may  have  a  wider  range  of  choice : 

Longfellow,  H.  W.  :  The  Buildei-s  ;  Christnias  r>ells. 
Holmes,  0.  W. :  Old  Ironsides. 
Bryant,  W.  0.:  Song  of  Marion's  ]\[en. 
Texnyso-V,  Alfred:   The  I>ugle  Song. 
Drake,  J .  R. :  The  American  Flag. 
Wolfe,  Charles  :  Burial  of  Sir  John  Moore. 
Emerson,  R.  W.  :  Concord  Hymn. 
Whittier,  J.  (t.:  Barbara  Frietchie. 
Lowell,  J.  R. :  The  Heritage. 
Keats,  John:  Autumn. 
.  Burns,  Robert:  My  Heart's  in  the  Highlands. 
Finch,  F.  M.  :  The  Blue  and  the  Gray. 
Hemans,  Felicia  Dorothea  :  Lauding  of  the  Pilgrims. 
Hood,  Thomas  :  The  Song  of  the  Shirt. 
Key,  F.  S.:  The  Star-Spangled  Banner. 

For  the  prose  work,  short  selections  from  the  fol- 
lowing may  he  used  : 

Lincoln,  Abraham:  Gettysburg  Address. 

Henry,  Patrick  :  Speech  before  the  Virginia  Convention. 

Hawthorne,  Nathaniel:  A  Rill  from  the  Town  Pump. 

Stephens,  Alexander  H.  :  On  the  Restoration  of  the  Union. 

Iuyix'^g,  Washington:  The  Broken  Heart. 

JJacon,  Francis:  Essays  —  Of  Nobility  ;  Of  Wisdom. 

Bible:   Belshazzar's  Feast;   Book  of  Daniel;   Psalm  xix. 


GKADE  SIX  157 

2.  Dramatization.  The  work  of  the  preceding  year 
should  be  continued  here  with  longer  j^lays  and  more 
originalit}^  in  arranging  the  dialogue  and  in  the  stag- 
ing preparation.  Reading  and  history  lessons  may  be 
dramatized  with  great  interest  and  profit.  This  will 
enable  the  children  to  enter  more  fully  into  a  sym- 
pathetic understanding  of  the  lesson,  especially  in  the 
case  of  historical  incidents.  At  least  three  finished 
plays,  one  of  which  should  be  an  original  one,  may 
be  worked  up  during  the  year.  It  would  Ije  well  to 
present  at  least  one  of  these  in  public.  ''  The  Flower 
(^ueen,"  an  original  play  written  by  a  sixth-grade 
girl,  is  given  in  Appendix  C  of  this  book. 

II.   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Oeiginal  Expressiox 

The  directions  given  in  the  two  preceding  grades 
for  the  conduct  of  written  composition  work  may, 
with  a  few  changes  and  additions,  be  used  for  the 
work  here.  In  this  grade  children  should  l^e  led  to 
make  definite  outlines  of  the  subject  matter  l^efore 
they  begin  to  write.  These  outlines  should  generally 
contain  the  following  heads :  [a)  introductory  and  ex- 
planatory statements;  {h)  points  to  be  taken  up  in  the 
main  discussion ;  and  (c)  concluding,  or  summariz- 
ing, statements.  The  selection  and  arrangement  of 
material  should  be  guided  largely  by  models  taken 
from  good  literature.  Sucli  selections  may  occasion- 
ally be  outlined  and  the  arrangement  carefully  noted. 


158    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

In  the  work  of  criticism  special  emphasis  should  be 
placed  on  sentence  structure,  on  the  best  methods  of 
improving  bad  sentences  in  structure  and  choice  of 
words,  and  on  testing  the  whole  composition  for  unity 
and  coherence.    All  regidar  compositions  should  be 


THE  MAY  FESTIVAL 

No  dearth  of  composition  subjects  in  this  school  for  days 

corrected  and  returned  to  the  writer.  Very  poor  ones 
should  be  rewritten.  The  following  signs  of  mistakes 
may  be  added  to  those  suggested  in  the  preceding 
grade : 

1.  Bad  choice  of  words :  Word  underlined,  and  '  Cli.  of  W.' 
placed  in  the  margin  opposite,  or  above  the  word. 

2.  New  jyoraffnqjh :  Paragraph  mark  (1[)  put  in  margin  or 
at  place  where  new  paragraph  should  begin.  If  the  paragraph 
is  made  where  one  should  not  be,  '  No  If '  may  be  written  in 
the  margin  opposite. 

3.  Thought  not  clear:  Statement  underlined  and  several 
?'  s  placed  above. 


GRADE  SIX 


159 


The  compositions  this  year  should  fill  about  one 
page  of  letter  paper  and  should  consist  of  from  six  to 
ten  sentences.  All  kinds  of  composition  work  should 
frequently  appear  in  letter  form.  Illustrative  pictures 
made  with  colored  pencils  or  water  colors  should 
accompany  the  written  work  whenever  possible.  The 
compositions  should  be  written  in  ink,  and  the  pupils 


L            t 

jkt 

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fc-?'  f 

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I* 

*^fi 

f^'r  : 

^^^'^BPT      ' 

ml 

^    '--^ 

Id        ^ 

^                2!>ib-^*j^i 

i   ■ 

^^^^•^ 

:-.,.- 

^m 

^^^^£SSteH'^JM 

tr-^««rJ33l 

,.^.. 

i'.^    -^L 

^^■I^L^''?)&^ 

rja^ 

^^^Pt^^^bupb^^*^ 

^■PP^^ 

'Si 

%^Sv^p^ 

i>kki'ai;ati(»x  fou  the  barbecue  offers  ixterestinu 
sub.tects  for  coinipositioxs 

should  all  use  the  same  kind  of  paper.  Some  oppor- 
tunity for  impromptu  composition  should  be  given 
every  day,  while  one  regular  composition  is  the  usual 
requirement  for  each  week.  It  may  be  necessary  to 
spend  portions  of  several  periods  in  studying  models 
from  literature,  for  preliminary  written  work,  and 
for  oral  discussions.  The  actual  writing  of  the  com- 
position should  be  done  at  the  desk  or  at  home. 


1(50    LANGUAGE  WOKK  TN  ELEMENTARY  sr^HOOLS 

The  following  are  the  kinds  of  written  composi- 
tion that  are  suggested  for  this  year's  work.  In  con- 
ducting the  recitation  technical  terms  should  not  be 
used  by  the  teacher. 

1.  Letter -Writinf/.  Drill  in  perfecting  the  com- 
plete letter  form,  as  outlined  in  the  j)receding  grade, 
should  be  continued  throughout  the  entire  year.  The 
work  should  be  kept  closely  related  to  real  life  In' 
having  the  children  write  letters,  of  invitation  and 
sympathy,  and  business  letters  ordering  books  or 
supplies  for  the  school  or  for  private  use.  Some 
correspondence  with  friends  and  relatives  at  a  dis- 
tance should  be  encouraged  and  directed  to  some 
extent,  and  the  preparation  of  the  cooperative  letter 
to  the  sixth-grade  language  class  of  another  school 
may  be  made  very  interesting  to  the  children.  The 
various  kinds  of  composition  outlined  on  the  following 
pages  should  appear  frequently  in  the  form  of  letters. 

2.  Narration.  The  repeated  and  reconstructed 
stories  which  were  outlined  in  detail  in  oral  language 
work  for  this  grade,  and  the  two  preceding,  are  most 
suitable  for  oral  work,  and  yet  when  they  are  short 
enough  they  may  occasionally  be  put  into  written  form. 
After  considerable  effort  has  been  devoted  to  the  study 
of  the  structure  of  the  story  (the  plot,  time,  and 
causal  sequence,  the  vnho,  the  when,  the  ivhere,  and  the 
irhat),  and  after  some  practice  has  been  given  in 
the  telling  of  purely  original  stories,  the  children 
should  be  led  to  use  constructive  imagination  in  put- 
ting these  into  written  form.    The  story  may  be  the 


(;kai)e  six 


161 


product  of  the  combined  efforts  of  the  class,  the  plot 
and  characters  being  suggested  by  some  member 
of  the  class  or  by  the  teacher.  Good  stories  from 
literature  may  be  studied  a,s  a  preparation  for  the 
writing  of  original  stories  suggested  by  them.  The 
stories  should  be  illustrated  whenever  possible. 


THE  ANGELUS 

(After  Millet) 
Good  pictures  are  a  valuable  asset  in  lauuuaiie  work 

As  indicated  in  the  discussion  of  oral  narration, 
the  story  will  lead  to  the  narration  of  actual  experi- 
ences. These  should  frequently  be  put  into  writing,  to 
develop  greater  exactness  in  language  and  details. 

3.  Description.  The  general  directions  given  in  the 
paragraph  on  oral  description  may  be  followed  here. 


162    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


XO  PUBLIC  DRINKING  CUP  HERE 
A  chance  to  correlate  lane:ua£^e  and  sanitation 


When  posvsible,  written  descriptions  should  be  illus- 
trated.   This  will  lead  the  children  to  appreciate  art 

and  its  expres- 
sion in  paint- 
ings. Cartoon 
work  of  an  el- 
ementary sort, 
done  with  an 
ordinary  lead 
pencil,  may  be 
undertaken  as 
an  accompani- 
ment to  per- 
sonal descriptions.  Before  beginning  this  work  the 
pupils  should  make  a  collection  of  cartoons  for  study. 

4.  Exi^sition.  The  directions  in  the  paragraph 
which  deals  with 
oral  exposition  in 
this  grade  will  be 
found  sufficient  for 
the  work  here.  A 
very  few  simple 
abstract  subjects 
may  be  used  this 
year,  but  not  till 
they  have  had  a 

thorough  discussion  beforehand  in  the  oral  work. 

5.  Argimient.  The  preparation  of  outlines  indicat- 
ing the  leading  points  on  both  sides  of  an  assigned 
subject  may  occasionally  be  prepared  by  the  children 


SCHOOL    GARDENS    FURNISH    MANY    SUB- 
-TECTS  FOR  DESCRIPTION  AND  EXPOSITION 


GKADE  SIX  168 

before  the  oral  argument.  The  teacher  will  have  to 
assist  the  children  considerably  in  this  work.  After 
the  oral  argument,  it  may  be  well  sometimes  to  ask 
the  children  to  write  in  logical  order  the  arguments 
presented  on  one  or  on  both  sides  of  the  question. 

6.  Verse-Writuuj .  The  work  suggested  in  the  two 
preceding  grades  should  be  continued  here.  The 
teacher  should  be  quick  to  detect  any  special  abihty 
in  verse  composition  and  to  encourage  its  possessor. 
Some  simple  instruction  in  showing  the  structure 
of  several  of  the  simplest  meters  found  in  poetry 
familiar  to  the  children  may  be  given  in  this  grade. 
This  will  be  easy  to  do  where  children  have  received 
some  systematic  training  in  vocal  music. 

7.  Diary.  The  work  suggested  for  the  preceding 
year  should  be  continued  during  this  year.  The  ability 
to  say  much  in  a  few  words  —  which  keeping  a  diary 
develops  —  is  a  very  valuable  possession. 

8.  I^ reparation  of  Outlines.  As  suggested  in  pre- 
vious discussions  in  this  grade,  time  may  be  profitably 
spent  in  leading  children  to  make  outhnes  of  the 
subjects  on  which  they  are  to  give  talks  in  the  oral 
language  work.  Written  compositions  will  have  more 
unity  and  coherence  if  outlines  of  the  thought  are 
made  before  the  w^riting  is  beg-un.  Outlines  of  the 
subject  matter  in  the  various  lessons  of  the  day 
should  frequently  be  made.  This  work  is  especially 
useful,  because  it  teaches  the  child  to  pick  out  the 
important  ideas  on  a  printed  page.  These  outlines, 
which  should  be  memorized,  may  be  placed  on  the 


164    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

board  by  the  teacher  as  the  children  give  tlie  thought 
of  a  paragraph  which  they  have  read.  Or  the  chil- 
dren may  prepare  them  alone,  at  their  desks  or  at 
home.  The  pupils  should  occasionally  be  asked  to 
make  outlines  of  their  reading  lessons  at  home  and 
present  them  at  the  recitation  or  to  the  teacher  for 
review.  This  is  a  splendid  incentive  to  a  study  and 
appreciation  of  literature.  Biographies  are  especially 
good  for  outline  Avork  and  for  talks  from  outlines. 

Lmitative  Expression 

Dictaf(0)i.  Dictation  exercises  are  still  important 
and  necessary,  and  should  be  carried  on  in  the  man- 
ner suggested  in  preceding  grades.  Special  attention 
is  called  to  the  devices  suggested  for  the  work  in  the 
fifth  grade.  The  exercises  should  always  be  quick  and 
interesting,  and  should  never  be  allowed  to  drag.  All 
matters  outlined  under  Technical  Matters  in  this 
grade  and  lower  grades  should  be  thoroughly  tested 
in  this  way.  At  least  two  short  exercises  each  week 
should  be  devoted  to  the  work. 


III.    GENERAL  WORK 

Use  of  Dictionary 

The  teacher  should  see  that  the  pupils  are  pro- 
ficient in  the  work  outlined  in  the  preceding  grade. 
The  following  suggestions  are  made  for  further 
instruction  this  year: 


GKADE  SIX  1^15 

1.  Give  further  practice  iu  the  use  of  diacritical 
marks. 

2.  Give  practice  in  finding  the  meaning  best 
adapted  to  words  in  particular  instances,  l^oth  from 
the  meanings  suggested  in  the  dictionary  and  from 
the  thought  of  the  sentence  and  passage. 

3.  Teach  children  to  use  a  pronouncing  gazetteer, 
a  pronouncing  biographical  dictionary,  etc.^ 

4.  Teach  the  meaning  of  the  abbreviations  follow- 
ing words,  such  as  '  v.t.,'  '  v.i.,'  '  n.,'  '  a.,'  '  adA^.,'  etc. 

Word  Study 

This  work  should  be  continued  along  the  lines 
indicated  in  the  preceding  grade.  It  may  be  divided 
as  follows : 

1.  Homonyms,  Synonyms,  and  Antonyms.  Special 
attention  should  be  given  to  synonyms  and  anton3nns. 
Lists  of  these,  made  as  they  occin-  in  the  regular  studies, 
should  be  kept  by  the  pupils.  A  suggestive  list  of 
homonyms  was  given  in  the  preceding  grade.  The 
following  are  similar  hsts  of  synonyms  and  antonyms  : 

Synonyms 

allow,  permit  deny,  dispute  noted,  famous 

compare,  contrast  argue,  dispute  invent,  design 

obtain,  acquii-e  cash,  money  fear,  terror 

vocation,  occupation  accept,  receive  different,  unlike 

1  The  old  edition  of  Webster's  Unabridged  contains  also,  in  an 
appendix,  a  list  of  noted  names  of  fiction.  In  the  new  edition  these 
are  found  in  their  proper  places  in  the  text. 


1G6    LANGUAGE  AVOKK  IX  ELEMENTAlii'  SCHOOLS 

AXTOXYMS 

easy,  difficult  rare,  frequent  fixed,  changeable 

interior,  exterior  together,  asunder  friendly,  hostile 

persuade,  dissuade  urban,  rustic  barren,  fertile 

mild,  severe  sullen,  cheerful  natural,  artificial 

2.  Derivation,  Some  time  should  be  spent  this 
year  in  teaching  the  derivation,  or  history,  of  words. 
The  derivation  of  such  words  as  the  following  will 
be  found  interesting,  and  this  knowledge  will  give 
them  a  more  vivid  meaning :  '  citizen,'  '  military,' 
'  circus,'  '  veto,'  '  exit,'  '  benefactor,'  '  admit,'  *  posse,' 
'  album,'  etc. 

Derivation  work  includes  the  study  of  j^refixes 
and  suffixes.  The  meaning  of  the  forms  rather  than 
the  source  should  be  emphasized  in  this  grade.  The 
following  are  suggested  for  study  this  year : 

Prefixes 

Anglo-Saxon:  out-  (beyond),  oiit(\.o;  iin-  (not),  -imskilled; 
under-  (beneath),  tindercut. 

Latin:  ad-  (to),  arfhere;  con-  (with,  together),  condole, 
convene ;  contra-  (against),  contradict ;  ex-  (out,  from),  exhale, 
ea;clude ;  sub-  (under,  after),  si«&scribe. 

Suffixes 

Anglo-Saxon:  -fold  (times),  tenfold ;  -wise  (manner),  like- 
wise  ;  -loard  (direction),  downvjaxd. 

Latin :  -age  (act,  condition),  marrifl//e  ;  -ant,  -ent  (adj.  being ; 
noun,  one  who),  \\g\\a7it,  assistant,  subserviewi,  agew^. 


GliADE  SIX  167 

3.  General.  The  teacher  should  continue  the  drill 
on  irregular  verbs  and  on  the  correction  of  all  misused 
words,  such  as  '  like '  for  '  as,'  '  if '  for  '  whether,' 
'  how  '  for  '  what,'  etc.  Lists  of  new  and  difficult  words 
may  be  selected  from  the  various  lessons  of  the  day 
and  used  for  oral  and  written  drills  in  spelling,  though 
the  value  of  this  is  seriously  questioned. 

Technical  ]Matters 

In  addition  to  the  points  outlined  in  previous  grades 
under  this  head,  the  following  should  be  taught  dur- 
ing the  year  in  connection  with  the  various  kinds  of 
lano;uao;e  work : 

1.  Capitals:  in  titles  of  books,  names  of  political  parties 

and  religious  denominations,  titles  followed  by  names 
of  individuals,  etc. 

2.  Punctuation: 

a.  Comma :  preceding  short  direct  quotations,  to  set  off 
explanatory  phrase  or  modifier,  to  indicate  slight 
pause  in  reading. 

h.    Period :  in  decimal  numbers. 

r.    Colon  :  preceding  long  quotations  and  enumerations. 

<1.    Semicolon:  in  compound  sentences. 
o.  Ahhreviations :  all  im|)ortant  ones  met  in  any  of  the  sub- 
jects of  the  year,  such  as  those  of  states,  countries, 
etc.    in   geography;    also  'C.O.D./  ^D.D.,'   ^Uty.,' 
'N.B.,'  Wiz.,'  ^Messrs.,'  'Vol.' 

4.  Grammatical  principles : 

a.   Noun:  object  and  indirect  object. 
h.    Pronoun :     simple  uses   of  the  three  kinds ;    object 
and  indirect  object. 


1G8    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

c.  Vei'b :  idea  of  voice,  cauxiliaiies,  simple  conjugation 
work ;  frequent  drill  on  irregular  verbs. 

(/.  Conjunction :  distinguished  according  to  use  in 
complex  and  compound  sentences. 

e.  Sentences:  (1)  complex,  which  will  include  expanding 
word  and  phrase  modifiers  into  clause ;  compound, 
both  coordinate  ideas  with  '■  and '  and  adversative 
Avith  '  but '  and  ^  yet.'  (2)  declarative,  interroga- 
tive, imperative.  The  so-called  exclamatory  sentence 
always  belongs  to  one  of  these  classes. 


GRADE  SEVEN 

I.    ORAL  LANGITAGE  WORK 

Original  Expression'. 

1.  Recitation  by  Topics. 

2.  Oral  Reports  and  Talks  fnuii  Outlines. 

3.  Narration. 

4.  Description. 

5.  Exposition. 

0.  Argument  and  Deliate. 

Imitative  Expuessiox. 

1.  ^Memorizing  "Wmk. 

2.  Dramatization. 

II.    AVRITTEN   LANGUAGE   WOUK 

Orioixal  Expressiox. 

1.  Letter-Writing. 

2.  Narration. 

3.  Description. 

4.  Exposition. 

5.  Argument  and  Debate. 
T).  Verse-Writing. 

7.  Diary. 

8.  Preparation  of  Outlines. 

Imitative  Expressiox. 
1.  Dictation. 

in.    GENERAL  WORK 

Use  of  Dictioxary. 
Word  Study. 

Techxical  Matters  (including  English  Grammar). 
169 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

The  work  of  this  year  should  show  a  steady  increase  in 
thought  power  and  in  the  abihty  to  use  the  mother  tongue 
correctly.  Pupils  here  should  show  a  greater  abihty  to 
criticize  the  language  productions  of  the  class,  and  a  more 
analytical  attitude  toward  all  kinds  of  school  work.  Books 
of  reference  should  be  used  with  greater  freedom,  and  the 
children  should  show  a  marked  tendency  to  investigate 
for  themselves.  In  this  grade  special  emphasis  should  be 
placed  on  talks  from  outlmes  given  before  the  class  and 
school.  Grammatical  principles,  of  a  difficulty  suited  to 
the  pupils,  have  been  taught  in  connection  with  the  com- 
position and  otlier  kinds  of  language  work  in  all  the 
grades  thus  far.  This  work  will  be  continued  in  the  gram- 
mar grades  in  the  same  way,  although  in  many  schools  it 
is  still  thought  well  to  devote  a  period  occasionally  to 
the  teaching  of  some  of  the  more  difficult  grammatical 
principles.  When  this  is  done,  the  method  used  should 
be  mductive,  leading  the  children  to  make  all  the  defini- 
tions in  original,  simple  language  before  any  notice  is 
taken  of  the  statements  in  the  text.  This  work  should 
develop  m  children  a  greater  ability  to  think  accurately 
and  incisively.  The  study  of  literary  models,  together 
with  derivation  and  word  study,  should  produce  better 
diction  and  greater  facility  in  the  expression  of  thought. 
All  the  composition  work  of  the  year  should  be  dignified 
by  some  definite  motive  or  purpose.  Originality  and  self- 
direction  in  the  language  activities  should  be  the  chief 
object  of  the  year's  work. 

170 


GRADE  SEAMEN 

I.    ORAL  LA^^GUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expression 

1.  Recitation  hi/  Tojncs.  The  method  of  reciting 
by  topics  becomes  a  more  effective  training  in  lan- 
guage power  here  than  in  the  preceding  grades.  It 
shoidd,  however,  be  used  with  caution,  for  it  has  its 
dangers.  It  may  be  used  profitably  in  from  one  fourth 
to  one  third  of  the  recitations  in  history,  geography, 
physiology  and  hygiene,  civil  government,  reading, 
agricultm^e,  domestic  science,  etc.  At  first  the  pupil 
may  follow  a  w^ritten  outline,  but  later  he  should 
hold  the  main  topics  in  mind  and  give  them  in 
proper  sequence  without  reference  to  the  outline. 
This  is  especially  valualjle  in  summarizing  the  main 
jDoints  of  a  lesson. 

2.  Oral  Iiejjorts  and  lalks  from  Outlines.  Greater 
emphasis  should  be  placed  on  this  work  in  this  grade 
than  in  the  preceding  grade.  In  addition  to  the 
reports  outlined  there,  talks  on  personal  experiences, 
reviews  of  speeches  or  lectm-es  heard,  etc.  ma}^  be 
given.  In  science  work,  for  example,  an  experiment 
may  be  described,  as  How  we  made  a  barometer 
or  How  we  show  that  a  rise  of  mercuiy  in  the 
barometer    indicates     increased    air    pressure.      The 

171 


172    LANGUAGE  WOEK  m  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 

writer  recently  heard  interesting  reports  of  lectures 
on  "  Robert  E.  Lee  "  and  "  Forests  in  the  Rockies  " 
given  by  seventh-grade  puj)ils.  Some  child  may  be 
appointed  to  hear  a  lecture  or  a  sermon  and  give  a 
report  to  the  class.  Sometimes  it  may  be  advisable 
to  have  children  give  these  reports  before  the  whole 
school.  The  work  of  preparing  outlines  for  these 
talks,  which  was  begun  in  the  last  grade,  should  be 
emphasized  here.  The  teacher  should  assist  in  the 
preparation  of  the  first  outlines.  This  Avill  he  a 
good  2^1'epai'^fioiT^  foi'  f^Lie  written  argument  work 
and  the  debates  of  the  literary  society.  The  following 
books  are  recommended  for  book  reports  : 

Whittikk,  J.  G.:  tSnow-Bouud. 

Scott,  Waltkk  :  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 

Dickens,  Charles  :  The  Cricket  on  the  Hearth. 

Longfellow,  H.  W.:  Evangeline;  The  Song  of  HiaAvatha. 

Hale,  E.  E.  :  The  Man  without  a  Country. 

Hawthorne,  Nathaniel  :  Twice-Told  Tales  (selections). 

ScuDDER,  H.  E.  :   George  Washington. 

Church,  A.  J. :  The  Story  of  the  Iliad. 

See  list  in  preceding  grade. 

o.  Nar ratio}!.  'J' he  work  of  the  preceding  grade 
should  be  continued  and  enlarged  during  this  year. 
The  reproduction  of  stories  from  history  and  liter- 
ature should  be  especially  emphasized  in  this  grade. 
Stories  taken  from  the  Bible  and  from  the  mythol- 
ogies of  various  peoples  are  still  good  and  should 
be  given  a  place.  Reconstructed  and  original  stories 
should  be  composed,  as  suggested  in  the  preceding 


GRADE  SEVEX 


173 


grades,  but  the  emphasis  should  be  placed  on  the 
latter.  More  emphasis  than  ever  should  be  placed 
on  the  narration  of  personal  experiences.  The  cor- 
relation of  language  work  mth  geography,  history, 
agriculture,  etc.  may  be  effected  by  having  the  chil- 
dren relate  real  or  imaginary  experiences  in  the  work 
of  these  subjects.  For  example,  a  seventh-grade  geog- 
raphy class  in  a  certain   school    decided   that   each 


-V4 

mMitmi 

i 

t 

\ 

!f 

r 

CAMPING  EXPERIENCES  FURNISH  GOOD  SUBJECTS  FOR 
DESCRIPTION  AND  NARRATION 

member  of  the  class  should  visit  an  irrigation  worlv 
under  construction  in  the  locality.  A  week  later, 
after  ample  time  for  observation  and  investigation 
in  books  of  reference,  each  pupil  told  the  story  of 
his  visit,  comparing  the  ideas  he  gained  with  those 
of  the  other  members  of  the  class. 

In  this  grade  the  telling  of  stories  should  have 
some  social  motive.  For  example,  a  story  may  be 
told  to  some  grade  that  has  not  lieard  it,  or  it  may 


174    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

be  told  as  a  part  of  some  program.  Pupils  of  this 
age  begin  to  be  more  self-conscions,  and  no  longer 
enjoy  telling  stories  in  the  class  as  they  did  in  the 
lower  grades.  If  the  work  has  a  real  purpose,  how- 
ever, it  interests  them.  It  must  have  a  dignity  which 
it  has  not  called  for  before  —  the  dignity  of  definite 
motive  or  j^urpose. 

4.  Description.  The  work  in  oral  descrijDtion  will, 
for  the  most  part,  follow  the  outline  given  in  the  two 
preceding  grades.  A  proper  increase  in  details  and 
improvement  in  unity  and  coherence  should  be  de- 
manded here.  The  oral  reports  on  observation  work 
will  continue  to  offer  fine  opportunity  for  description 
work. 

Special  emphasis  should  be  placed  on  the  study  of 
descriptions  of  j)ersons,  scenes,  and  characters  in  lit- 
erature. In  this  way  good  models  may  be  brought  to 
the  attention  of  the  class.  These  selections  should  be 
read  and  reread  by  the  class  until  they  are  thoroughly 
appreciated.  A  certain  class  had  read  and  enjoyed 
the  descriptive  passages  of  "  Rip  Van  Winkle  "  and 
"  The  Great  Stone  Face."  After  a  field  trip  among 
some  near-by  hills  in  the  autumn,  the  children  asked 
the  teacher  to  let  them  write  about  the  hills.  Excel- 
lent descriptions  came  spontaneously,  without  any 
thought  of  the  vocabulary  required.  Too  much  evi- 
dent attention  to  such  things  as  vocabulary  and  form 
sometimes  defeats  the  very  purpose  of  the  work.  If 
the  impressions  are  properly  associated,  the  expres- 
sion will  come  when  needed. 


GRADE  SEVEN  175 

5.  Exposition.  The  work  of  the  preceding  grade 
should  be  continued  and  enlarged  here.  The  introduc- 
tion of  subjects  demanding  abstract  thought  should 
be  attended  with  caution.  Subjects  having  to  do  with 
moral  and  ethical  duties  of  a  simpler  nature  and  with 
rights  of  individuals  may  be  introduced  to  some  ex- 
tent in  this  grade.  The  attention  of  the  class  should 
be  called  to  good  models  of  the  various  kinds  of  expo- 
sition found  in  good  literatm^e.  Emphasis  should  also 
be  placed  on  the  making  of  outlines  before  the  class 
recitation.  Too  much  of  this  work  should  not  be  at- 
tempted, and  it  should  not  be  too  formally  handled, 
for  seventh-grade  pupils  dishke  formality.  Children 
should  be  led  to  read  extensively  and  to  think  much 
about  the  subjects  assigned  for  this  work,  in  order 
that  much  apperceptive  material  may  be  stored  up  for 
future  use.  This  should  be  done  especially  with  sub- 
jects that  deal  with  processes  and  activities,  such  as 
the  making  of  pottery,  how  to  make  bricks,  how  to 
protect  birds,  how  golf  is  played,  etc. 

6.  Argument  and  Debate.  The  argument  in  this 
grade  should  lead  directly  to  debates  in  class  and  to  a 
kind  of  primary  literary  and  debating  society,  which 
every  school  should  try  to  maintain.  It  should  develop 
the  power  of  quick  and  accurate  thought  while  on 
one's  feet,  and  ready  expression  under  fire.  Outlines 
of  the  leading  points  to  be  made  on  both  sides  of  the 
subject  should  be  prepared  before  the  recitation  period, 
while  some  subjects  may  be  debated  in  the  class  with- 
out previous  notice.    Methods  for  the  conduct  of  the 


176    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

work  have  been  given  fully  in  preceding  grades.  In 
this  grade  two  members  of  the  class  may  be  asked 
several  days  ahead  to  be  ready  to  defend  the  two  sides 
of  a  question,  and  after  these  have  given  their  talks, 
the  class  may  act  as  judges  and  then  enter  into  a 
general  discussion  of  the  subject.    The  teacher  should 


LANGUAGE  AND  DOMESTIC  SCIENCE  SHOULD  BE  CORRELATED 
IN  THE  UPPER  GRADES 

always  summarize  the  points  made  in  the  discussion, 
in  order  that  erroneous  ideas  may  not  be  left  with 
the  children. 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Memorizing  Work.  The  work  of  former  grades 
is  to  be  continued  here.  At  least  six  poems,  one 
psalm,  twelve  memory  gems,  and  four  prose  selec- 
tions should  be  memorized  during  the  3^ear.    Quality, 


GRADE  SEVEX  177 

however,  and  not  quantity  should  guide  the  teacher 
in  directing  the  work.  The  selections  should  always  be 
studied  in  the  reading  lessons  before  they  are  memo- 
rized. As  in  other  grades,  the  material  should  be 
selected  with  these  aims  in  view :  (1)  to  teach  the 
child  to  appreciate  nature  —  for  example,  "Snow- 
bound" develops  a  love  for  winter  and  country  life, 
while  poems  of  the  sea  appeal  especially  to  children 
near  the  ocean  or  lakes;  (2)  to  broaden  the  child's 
experiences,  connecting  them  always  with  his  past 
life.  Selections  used  should  ordinarily  be  suited  to 
special  seasons  and  events.  Frequent  opportunity  to 
repeat  selections  learned  in  previous  years  should 
be  given. 

Suitable  poems  and  gems  are  to  be  found  in 
Appendix  B.  The  following  poems  and  prose  selec- 
tions are  suggested,  in  order  that  the  teacher  ma}' 
have  a  wider  range  of  choice. 

Kiplixct,  Ruuyard  :  Recessional. 

Texxysox,  Alfred  :  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade :  Sir 
Galahad. 

Bryaxt,  W.  C:  The  Death  of  the  Flowers;  Thanatopsis ; 
The  HiuTicane. 

Wordsworth,  Willia^e  :  The  Solitary  Reaper;  Fidelity. 

Emersox,  R.  W.  :  The  Humble-bee  ;  The  Snow-storm. 

MooRE,  Thomas  :  Oft  in  the  Stilly  Night. 

Brooks,  Phillips  :  A  Christmas  Carol. 

Whittier,  J.  G. :  The  Eternal  Goodness ;  The  Yankee 
Gypsies. 

Scott,  Walter  :  Soldier,  Rest ! 

Browxixg,  Robert  :  The  Patriot. 

Stevexsox,  R.  L.  :  A  Visit  from  the  Sea. 


178    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Longfellow,  H.  W.  :  The  Ship  of  State ;  The  Arrow  and 
the  Song. 

Lowell,  J.  R. :  The  Finding  of  the  Lyre. 
Riley,  J.  W. :  The  Name  of  Old  Glory. 
Carroll,  Lewis  (Dodgson,  C.)  :  A  Song  of  Love. 
Lang,  Andrew  :  Scythe  Song. 
Stedman,  E.  C:  The  Cavalry  Charge. 

The  following  prose  selections,  together  with  those 
suggested  for  this  work  in  the  preceding  grade,  may 
be  used  here : 

Bible  :  Psalms  xlvi,  Ixvii ;  Ecclesiastes  xii. 

Longfellow,  H.  W.  :  Spring ;  Summer  ;  Autumn  (selections 
from  "  Kavanagh  "). 

Mabie,  H.  W.:  On  Books  (from  '"  My  Study  Eire  "). 

Porter,  Horace:  Abraham  Lincoln  (selections). 

Choate,  J.  H. :  The  Pilgrim  Mothers  (selections). 

CoNKLiNG,  RoscoE :  Specch  nominating  U.  S.  Grant 
(selections). 

2.  Dramatization.  The  work  outlined  in  preceding 
grades  should  be  continued  with  increased  demands 
as  to  originality  and  expression.  Much  interest  may 
be  developed  in  the  reading  and  history  lessons  by 
having  the  children  dramatize  selections  or  scenes 
that  lend  themselves  to  such  treatment.  To  secure 
greater  naturalness  of  expression  the  regular  reading 
lessons  may  frequently  be  put  aside  for  selections 
from  the  dramatic  readers. 

At  least  one  original  play  should  be  the  product 
of  the  combined  efforts  of  the  class  during  the  year. 
As  a  preparation  for  this  work,  one  or  two  good  plays 
should  be  carefully  read  and  studied  as  models  of 


GKADE  SEVEX 


179 


dramatic  perfection.  Shakespeare's  "  As  you  Like 
It"  or  "  Twelfth  Night,"  or  Sheridan's  "  The  Rivals," 
may  be  used  for  this  purpose.  The  importance  of  the 
problem  as  the  chief  thing  in  a  plot,  the  entanghng 
elements,  the  point  of  highest  interest,  and  the 
unraveling  of  the  plot  are  all  apparent.  The  class 
will  appreciate  these  important  points  if  tlie  play  is 


GOOD  ROADS  DAY  — A  SOURCE  OF  MAN  \    I.Xl' 
AND  DESCRIPTIONS 


studied  properly.  In  writing  both  plays  and  original 
stories  the  study  of  a  model  is  very  essential.  In 
addition  to  the  original  play,  at  least  two  or  three 
adapted  ones  should  be  worked  up  dming  the  3'ear. 
One  of  these  should  be  given  on  some  public  occasion. 
This  work,  as  outlined  in  preceding  grades,  will  be 
the  result  of  the  united  efforts  of  the  class.  In  this 
grade  a  single  child  may  occasionally  prepare  an 
acceptable  adapted,  or  even  an  original,  play. 


180    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

IL   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Original  Expression 

The  directions  given  for  written  composition  in 
the  two  preceding  grades  will  serve,  for  the  most 
part,  for  the  work  here.  In  this  grade  more  empha- 
sis should  be  placed  on  the  preparation  of  outlines ; 
in  fact,  no  composition  should  ever  be  written  in 
the  grammar  grades  without  an  outline,  to  insure 
logical  arrangement  of  subject  matter.  Children 
should  show  not  only  an  increased  vocabulary  and 
a  broader  range  of  ideas,  but  a  greater  knowledge  of 
the  technique  of  language  and  an  ability  to  think 
more  accurately.  Progress  along  these  lines  will  be 
aided  by  the  analysis  of  illustrative  selections  from 
good  literature.  Special  attention  should  also  be 
paid  to  paragraphing,  which  will  necessarily  accom- 
pany the  work  of  outlining  subjects. 

Some  written  work  should  be  done  almost  every 
day,  while  one  regular  composition  of  three  or  more 
paragraphs  should  be  handed  in  each  week.  Prelimi- 
nary work  (including,  perhaps,  the  reading  of  a  model 
selection  and  some  assistance  in  the  making  of  an 
outline)  may  be  done  on  Friday,  if  the  compositions 
are  to  be  handed  in  on  Monday.  At  the  recitation 
on  that  day  the  compositions  may  be  exchanged 
among  the  pupils  for  criticism.  The  next  day  they 
should  be  returned  to  the  teacher,  who  will  then 
correct  them,  preparatory  to  the  discussion  in  the 
class  on  Wednesday.    It  may  be  found  necessary,  for 


GRADE  SEVEN 


181 


lack  of  either  time  or  ability  on  the  part  of  the  stu- 
dents, to  demand  only  two  compositions  each  month. 
In  this  event  much  practice  in  writing  short  one- 
paragraph  productions  should  be  given.  The  regular 
compositions  should  always  be  written  in  ink  and 
on  paper  of  uniform  size  and  grade. 

The  teacher  should  always  remember  (1)  that  the 
child's   attention    should    be    kept    on   the   thought 


CHILDKEX    SHOULD  BE   LEJ)   To   DISCUSS   AND   \Vl;lli:    A\:<<t    I 
SANITARY  HOMES  AND  COMMUNITIES 

rather  than  on  the  technique,  which  should  be  a 
matter  of  habit  now ;  (2)  that  the  appearance  of  the 
page  as  to  margins,  indentions,  handwriting,  etc. 
is  of  great  importance;  (3)  that  the  subjects  used 
should  be  chosen  from  all  four  of  the  forms  of  dis- 
course, properly  distributed;  (4)  that  the  subjects 
chosen  should  be  closely  associated  with  the  life  and 
envu'onment  of  the  children. 


182    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

A  simple  system  of  signs  for  marking  errors  has 
been  given  in  the  two  preceding  grades.  The  same 
system,  or  the  following  one,  which  is  better  adapted 
to  the  work  in  the  higher  grades,  may  be  used  here : 

1  =  Spelling. 

2  =  Capitalization. 

3  =  Punctuation. 

4  =  False  syntax. 

5  =  Paragraphing. 

6  =  Choice  of  words. 

7  =  Thought  not  clear. 

8  =  Unnecessary  words. 

9  =  Words  omitted. 

10  =  Hyphen  omitted  or  wrong  division  of  word  at  end 
of  line. 

11  =  Words  or  phrases  out  of  proper  order. 

The  figures  are  placed  over  the  incorrect  word  or 
words,  or  at  the  place  of  error.  General  statements 
of  both  favorable  and  unfavorable  criticism,  having  to 
do  with  neatness,  coherence,  logical  arrangement  of 
subject  matter,  etc.,  are  placed  on  the  back  of  the 
paper.  The  above  scheme  of  marking  should  be 
placed  on  the  flyleaf  of  the  grammar  or  some  con- 
venient textbook. 

The  following  is  a  simple  illustration  of  the  above 
system : 

2  14  3  9 

composishuns  is  hard  to  write     They  take  a  great  deal 
2 
time  and  Thought. 

The  following  are  the  suggested  forms  of  written 
discourse  for  this  year's  work: 


GKADE  SEVEN  183 

1.  Letter-Writing.  The  complete  letter  form,  which 
was  taught  in  the  two  preceding  grades,  should 
be  emphasized  this  year  by  constant  drill.  All  the 
different  kinds  of  business  and  social  letters  should 
receive  careful  attention.  The  instruction  this  year 
should  take  into  account  the  finer  points  of  letter- 
writing,  such  as  courtesy  of  phraseology,  both  as  to 
salutation  and  closing  phrase  and  as  to  subject  matter 
in  the  body  of  the  letter.  Models  taken  from  the 
correspondence  of  persons  of  prominence  may  be 
studied  with  profit  in  this  work.  Dye's  "  Letters  and 
Letter-Writing "  will  fm^nish  abundant  material  for 
this  purpose.  As  suggested  in  the  preceding  grade, 
a  cooperative-grade  letter  may  be  addressed  to  the 
seventh  grade  of  another  school.  All  the  forms  of 
discourse  should  occasionally  be  put  into  letter  form. 

2.  JSfar ration.  The  discussion  of  both  oral  and 
written  narration  in  the  preceding  grade  will  give 
general  directions  for  the  work  here.  In  this  grade 
the  emphasis  should  be  placed  on  the  written  narra- 
tion of  actual  experiences  and  on  the  original  story. 
The  writing  of  several  short  original  stories,  either 
by  individuals  or  by  the  class  as  a  whole,  will 
develop  much  interest  and  give  a  social  motive  to 
the  work  if  the  stories  are  to  be  used  in  the  lower 
grades.  Special  ability  in  writing  short  original 
stories  will  probably  be  found  in  a  few  pupils  in 
the  class,  and  the  teacher  should  tiy  to  develop  this 
ability  by  giving  such  children  special  direction  and 
frequent  opportunity  to  practice  along  this  hne. 


184    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


3.  Description.  The  directions  given  for  oral  de- 
scription may  be  used  here.  Special  emphasis  should 
be  placed  on  form  and  on  the  logical  arrangement 
of  details.    The  work  of  illustrating  the  papers  with 

pictures  (drawn 
by  the  children) 
should  be  contin- 
ued, and  any  chil- 
dren who  show 
abihty  in  cartoon- 
drawing  should  be 
given  special  en- 
couragement. 

4.  Exposition. 
The  directions  for 
written  exposition 
that  were  given 
in  the  preceding 
grade  and  for  the 
oral  work  in  this 
grade  may  be  fol- 
lowed here.  Occa- 
sionally a  literary 
quotation  or  a 
poem  may  be  as- 
signed for  work  in  written  interpretation.  The  writ- 
ten exposition  allows  the  pupils  more  time  to  work 
out  the  line  of  thought  involved  in  the  subject.  This 
is  especially  true  when  subjects  that  demand  some 
degree  of  abstract  reasoning  are  used. 


AN  ILLUSTKATIUN  uF  A  WKITTEX  UESCKIP- 
TION,  BY  AN  EIGHTH-GRADE  BOY 


GRADE  SEVEX  185 

5.  Argument  and  Debate.  After  the  work  suggested 
in  oral  language  the  children  should  occasionally  be 
asked  to  make  outlines  of  the  points  made  in  the 
debate,  and  then  to  write  a  short  composition  de- 
fending either  the  affirmative  or  the  negative  side 
of  the  question. 

6.  Verse-Writing.  The  work  in  verse-writing  should 
produce  some  very  good  results  in  tliis  grade.  Chil- 
dren who  show  special  talent  in  this  direction  should 
be  led  to  study  good  models  from  our  best  poets  and 
to  practice  often  in  composing  verse.  These  attempts 
may  not  be  handed  in  as  a  part  of  the  regular  work 
in  composition,  but  the  teacher  should  criticize  them 
and  should  encourage  the  talented  child  to  further 
effort.  The  work  of  teaching  some  of  the  simpler 
meters  should  be  continued  in  this  grade.^ 

7.  Diary.  In  this  grade  the  keeping  of  a  diary  will 
afford  good  training  in  the  ability  to  express  ideas 
in  terse  language.  It  will  be  found  profitable,  there- 
fore, to  continue  the  work  as  directed  in  the  two  pre- 
ceding grades.  As  before,  the  teacher  should  direct 
the  work  by  inspecting  the  little  book  every  two 
weeks. 

8.  Preparation  of  Outlines.  This  work,  which  was 
begun  on  a  very  small  scale  in  the  preceding  grade, 
should  be  emphasized  here.    Children  of  this  grade 

1  "  Language  Games  for  all  Grades,"  by  A.  G.  Deming  (Beckley- 
Cardy  COi,  Chicago,  40  cents),  outlines  for  use  in  the  seventh  and 
eighth  grades  a  game  whose  purpose  is  "to  create  an  appreciation  of 
rime,  rhythm,  and  the  beauty  of  poetry."  It  might  be  found  profitable 
to  use  this  game  here. 


186    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

may  prepare,  under  the  direction  of  the  teacher,  out- 
lines of  the  subject  matter  in  lessons,  of  questions 
that  are  to  be  debated,  or  of  subjects  that  are  to  be 
used  in  the  regular  composition  work.  In  this  way 
habits  of  logical  thinking  will  be  established,  and 
the  subject  is  sure  to  be  more  thoroughly  treated. 
It  also  leads  children  to  see  the  important  points  in 
a  paragraph  or  in  a  subject.  Suggestions  for  out- 
hning  work  have  been  made  in  the  sections  which 
treat  of  kinds  of  language  in  which  it  may  profit- 
ably be  employed.  Full  directions  for  this  work 
were  given  in  the  preceding  grade. 

IivnTATR^E  Expression 

1.  Dictation.  The  work  of  testing;  the  children  as 
to  their  knowledge  of  the  various  matters  of  impor- 
tance connected  with  punctuation,  capitalization,  etc. 
is  very  important  and  should  be  continued  through- 
out the  year.  The  method  to  be  used  has  been  fully 
outhned  in  preceding  grades.  At  least  two  short  exer- 
cises each  week  should  be  devoted  to  the  work.  All 
points  outhned  under  Technical  Matters  in  this  and 
in  former  grades  should  be  the  basis  of  the  tests. 

III.    GENERAL  WORK 

Use  of  Dictionary 

If  the  pupils  are  found  unable  to  use  the  diction- 
ary properly,  they  should  be  given  fm'ther  drill  along 
the   lines    suggested   in  the   two   preceding   grades. 


GRADE  SEVEK  187 

This  is  a  very  important  matter,  for  it  is  one  of  the 
best  means  by  which  children  may,  without  assistance, 
increase  their  nsable  vocabularies. 

Word  Study 

The  work  outlined  under  this  heading  in  the  two 
preceding  grades  should  be  continued  and  enlarged 
upon  here.  Emphasis  should  be  placed  on  the  deri- 
vation of  words,  especially  of  such  as  are  being  used 
constantly  in  grammar,  physiology,  and  arithmetic. 
Interesting  new  words  met  in  the  reading  lessons 
may  be  used  for  this  purpose.  Make  a  study  of 
six  or  eight  words  that  are  built  on  the  Latin  verb 
scriho  (stems  scrih  and  script),  such  as  '  scribe,'  'scrip- 
ture,' '  subscribe ' ;  or  duco  (stems  due  and  duct),  such 
as  '  produce,'  abduction,'  '  conduct.'  The  children 
should  be  taught  how  to  find  the  derivation  of 
words  in  the   dictionary. 

The  work  of  studying  common  prefixes  and  suf- 
fixes should  be  continued  in  this  grade.  If  all  the 
prefixes  and  sufhxes  suggested  for  use  in  the  pre- 
ceding grades  have  not  been  taught,  they  may  be 
used  as  a  basis  for  the  work  this  year.  Complete 
lists,  from  which  abundant  material  may  be  drawn, 
are  to  be  found  in  certain  English  grammars  sug- 
gested in  the  general  bibliography  on  page  255.  The 
teacher  may  be  guided  as  to  what  prefixes  and 
suffixes  she  should  teach  by  noticing  those  that 
appear  most  frequently  in  the  words  of  the  reading 
lessons. 


188    LANGUACxE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

The  study  of  homonyms,  synonyms,  and  antonyms 
should  be  continued  in  connection  with  the  reading 
and  composition  work.  Lists  may  be  found  in  many 
of  the  spelHng  books.  Irregular  verbs  should  continue 
to  receive  special  attention  in  this  grade.   Some  special 


MANUAL  TRAINING  WILL  FURNISH  MANY  INTERESTING  SUBJECTS 
FOR  DESCRIPTION  AND  EXPOSITION 

notice  should  be  given  to  the  peculiarities  of  English 
spelling.  This  will  lead  to  a  discussion  of  reformed 
spelling  and  the  reasons  for  it. 

It  is  not  too  early  to  teach  the  children  in  this 
grade  something  of  the  history  of  the  English  lan- 
guage in  its  chief  periods  of  development.  In  this 
work  the  various  elements  of  which  its  vocabulary 


GRADE  SEVEN  189 

and  sentence  structure  are  composed  will  be  learned. 
This  work  will  serve  chiefly  as  an  introduction  to 
more  serious  efforts  along  this  line  in  the  next  grade. 


Technical  Mattees 

1.  Capitah  :  proper  adjectives  ;  important  words  in  titles. 

2.  Punctuation : 

a.  Comma:    to  set    off  inverted  expressions    and  inde- 

pendent words  and  phrases. 

b.  Question  mark :  in  parenthesis  to  express  doubt,  (?). 

c.  Single  quotation  marks  :  to  indicate  a  quotation  within 

a  quotation,  Q.  .  .'). 

d.  Semicolon  :  before  ^  as  '  introducing  an  example. 

e.  Parenthesis  :  for  interpolated  ideas. 

/.  Dash :  to  set  off  explanatory  statements. 
ff.  Caret :    to  indicate  the  unintentional  omission  of  a 
word  or  phrase. 

3.  Abbreviations :  important  ones  met  in  any  of  the  subjects 

of  the  5'ear's  work,  such  as  '  D.C,  '  M.D.',   '  Ph.D.', 
'  A.M.',  '  A.B.',  '  pro  tern.',  etc. 


English  Grammar 

The  year's  work  in  grammar  should  consist  of 
the  analysis  of  short  simple,  complex,  and  com- 
pound sentences,  and  in  the  mastery  of  the  chief 
facts  concerning  the  parts  of  speech.  Few  definitions 
other  than  those  which  the  pupils  make  for  them- 
selves should  be  learned,  and  the  textbook  should 
serve  merely  as  a  guide  to  logical  procedm^e.  The 
children  should,  for  the  most  part,  either  construct 
or  find  in  books,  papers,  or  elsewhere  the  sentences 


190    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

they  analyze,  as  well  as  those  illustrating  the  various 
facts  studied  in  connection  with  the  parts  of  speech. 
All  matters  of  special  difficulty  should  be  postponed 
until  the  eighth  grade.  The  discussions  and  illustra- 
tive sentences  in  the  textbook  should  be  used  in 
establishing  the  facts  that  the  teacher  has  led  the 
pupils  to  work  out  for  themselves.  This  plan  will 
develop  thought  power  and  leave  little  place  for 
simple  memory  work.  These  principles  should  be 
taught,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  composition  and 
literature  classes ;  in  fact,  many  teachers  attempt 
to    do   the  work   entirely  in   this   way.^ 

One  or  two  recitations  each  week  may  be  devoted 
to  the  grammar  work,  the  other  periods  being  spent 
in  the  other  kinds  of  language  work  outlined  for 
this  grade.  The  following  outline  indicates  the  extent 
of  the  grammar  study  in  this  grade. 

A.   AxALYsis  OF  Sentences 

1.  Form:  simple,  complex,  compound. 

2.  Use :  declarative,  interrogative,  imperative. 

3.  Chief  elements  of  thought  ex2})'esslon: 

a.  Complex,    or    logical,    subject;    complex,    or    logical, 

predicate. 

b.  Simple  subject  and  adjective  adjuncts  (words,  phrases, 

and  clauses) ;  simple  predicate  and  adverbial  adjuncts 
(words,  phrases,  and  clauses). 

c.  Clauses  :  principal,  subordinate  ;  the  latter  as  to  their 

use,  as  substantive,  adverbial,  adjectival. 

1  For  a  good  outline  of  the  grammatical  principles  that  should  be  taught 
grade  by  grade  in  connection  with  the  compositioii  work,  see  Chubb,  The 
Teaching  of  English,  pp.  225-232. 


GEADE  SEVEN  191 

d.  Phrases  :  substantive,  adverbial,  adjectival. 
4.  Limit  use  of  diagram  to  assist  analysis  work  only  until 
pupils  can  see  relations  without  it. 

B.    Parts  of  Speech 

The  work  of  the  preceding  years  should  be  reviewed  until  the 
pupils  are  able  to  recognize  all  parts  of  speech  and  to  explain 
then-  uses  in  sentences.  No  formal  definitions  are  to  be 
learned  except  those  made  by  the  children  themselves. 
Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  following  points : 

1.  Noun:  case,  irregular  plurals,  declension. 

2.  Pronoun:  case,  person,  relative  and  personal  pronouns, 

declension. 

3.  Verb :    transitive  and  intransitive,  object,  complement, 

conjugation  of  ^  to  be,'  and  person. 

4.  Adverb :  conjunctive,  in  connection  with  complex  sentence. 

5.  Preposition :    in    connection    with    case    of    nouns    and 

pronouns. 


GRADE  EIGHT 

I.   ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Original  Expression. 

1.  Recitation  by  Topics. 

2.  Oral  Reports  and  Talks  from  Outlines. 

3.  Narration. 

4.  Description. 

5.  Exposition. 

6.  Argument  and  Debate. 

Imitative  Expression. 

1.  Memorizing  Work. 

2.  Dramatization. 

IL   WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 

Original  Expression. 

1.  Letter- Writing. 

2.  Narration. 

3.  Description. 

4.  Exposition. 

5.  Argument  and  Debate. 

6.  Verse- Writing. 

7.  Diary. 

8.  Preparation  of  Outlines. 

Imitative  Expression. 
1.  Dictation. 

III.    GENERAL  WORK 
Word  Study. 
Technical  Matters  (including  English  Grammar). 

193 


PURPOSES  AND  AIMS 

Language  work  this  year  should  emphasize  originality 
and  self-direction.  Three  definite  purposes  should  always 
be  kept  in  view  in  the  du-ection  of  the  work :  (1)  social 
communication  with  friends ;  (2)  assimilation  of  much  use- 
ful knowledge  needed  in  the  world  of  business;  (3)  per- 
formance of  the  ordinary  and  necessary  duties  of  citizenship. 
The  work  here  will  be  largely  of  the  same  sort  as  that 
done  in  the  seventh  grade.  New  and  more  difficult  sub- 
jects should,  however,  be  chosen  for  the  oral  and  written 
compositions,  and  the  children  should  show  a  more  intelli- 
gent self-direction  in  their  language  exercises.  Greater 
accuracy  and  facility  in  the  use  of  the  mother  tongue, 
and  more  logical  and  incisive  thought,  should  become 
increasingly  evident.  The  principles  of  English  grammar 
should  be  emphasized  in  this  year's  composition  work,  but 
only  so  far  as  they  apply  to  language  practice,  for  there  is 
no  value  in  simply  knowing  rules.  It  may  still  be  thought 
well  to  devote  a  small  amount  of  time  to  the  study  of  these 
principles,  aside  from  the  regular  composition  work.  All 
the  points  outlined  under  Technical  Matters,  in  all  the 
grades  below  this  one,  should  be  reviewed  thoroughly 
before  the  year  is  over.  Oral  reports,  both  before  the 
class  and  before  the  school,  should  have  a  more  important 
place  here  than  in  the  preceding  grade.  In  a  word,  the 
effort  of  the  teacher  this  year  should  be  to  round  out 
and  complete  the  training  for  which  the  whole  language 
course  in  the  elementary  school  is  intended. 

194 


GEADE  EIGHT 

I.   ORAL  LANGUAGE  WORK 
Okiginal  Expression 

1.  Recitation  hy  Topics.  Here,  more  than  in  any 
of  the  preceding  grades,  reciting  by  topics  is  an  effec- 
tive lano-uao-e  exercise.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it 
demands  a  discrimination  between  the  essential  and 
the  nonessential  in  choosing  from  the  discussion  of 
the  topic  in  the  lesson  the  ideas  to  which  expression 
is  to  be  given.  No  pupil  has  achieved  the  develoi> 
ment  expected  from  the  previous  seven  years'  study 
in  language  if  he  cannot  do  this  work  satisfactorily. 
It  may  be  used  this  year  in  history,  geography, 
physiology,  reading,  nature  study,  etc. 

2.  Ohservation  Reports  and  Talks  from  Outlines. 
Greater  emphasis  should  be  placed  this  year  on  talks 
on  books,  magazine  and  newspaper  articles,  observa- 
tion, and  general  matters.  After  reading  a  book  or 
a  magazine  article  the  child  should  be  able  to  give,  in 
concise,  logical  statements,  the  thought  it  contains 
and  to  appreciate  and  criticize  the  style  of  the  writer. 
Little  digressions  to  discuss  characters  and  scenes 
may  be  allowed,  but  care  should  be  taken  to  preserve 
the  unity  of  the  original.  Finished  language  and  an 
easy  delivery  should  characterize  these  attempts  if 

195 


196    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

the  child  has  reached  the  standard  to  be  expected  at 
this  time.  These  reports  should  occasionally  be  made 
before  the  whole  school,  not  only  for  the  benefit  of 
the  child  but  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  school 
valuable  information.  This  work  may  be  done  at  the 
opening  exercises  of  the  day.    Many  valuable  facts  in 


PUBLIC  HEALTH  EXHIBIT 

T    ON     BY 
COUNTY  BOAROSJMEli 
OTV  HEALTH  DEPARTMEN 

■lt^SWta«bta»«(iilosi5  Sociiu. 
Under  the  Auspices  ot 

TheOefferson  Coupty  Fiscal  Court. 


I 


non.jmxx  «w!»«tftsiNGER, 

S«,t.;      R  (3  DORSE  Y 
,  ^  WMEELEf* 
ANK  UaCHEP 
-   SULLIVAN 
fOROE  BERRY 


E>SE»M<U<.<»>"T"! 


THE  LIVE  TEACHER  WILL  USE  IN  LANGUAGE  WORK  INFORMATION 
OBTAINED  AT  PUBLIC  HEALTH  EXHIBITS 

nature  study,  agriculture,  home  economics  and  sani- 
tation, personal  hygiene,  public  and  private  morals, 
etc.,  may  be  taught  in  this  way.  Increased  emphasis 
should  now  be  placed  on  the  maldng  of  outlines  from 
which  to  speak.  Further  suggestions  for  this  work 
are  found  in  the  two  preceding  grades.  The  follow- 
ing books  are  suggested  for  review  and  report  work : 


GRADE  EIGHT  197 

Scott,  Walter  :  The  Lady  of  the  Lake ;  Ivanhoe ;  The 
Talisman. 

Cooper,  J.  F.  :  Deerslayer. 

Goldsmith,  Oliver  :  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 

DicKExs,  Charles  :  A  Tale  of  Two  Cities. 

Shakespeare,  William  :  The  Merchant  of  Venice. 

Eliot,  George  :  Silas  Marner. 

Vergil  :  J^neid  (translated  by  T.  C.  Williams). 

Homer  :  Odyssey  (translated  by  George  H.  Palmer). 

Morse,  J.  T. :  Abraham  Lincoln. 

Lawler,  T.  B.  :  Story  of  Columbus  and  Magellan. 

See  list  in  two  preceding  grades. 

3.  Narration.  The  story  work  in  this  grade  should 
be  correlated  with  history,  literature,  and  reading. 
Some  long  stories  that  have  been  read  at  home  or 
at  school  may  be  repeated  to  the  class,  as  suggested 
in  the  preceding  paragraph.  The  historical  novel 
may  be  given  a  place  here,  as  well  as  such  stories 
as  the  Iliad  and  the  iEneid.  Much  emphasis  should 
also  be  placed  on  the  telUng  of  original  stories  and 
actual  experiences.  Some  social  motive  should  be 
given  to  the  work  wherever  possible.  For  example, 
let  a  member  of  the  class  read  a  story  and  repeat  it 
to  a  class  in  the  primary  grades  for  their  pleasure  or 
use.  The  directions  for  this  work  in  the  preceding 
grade  will  be  helpful  here. 

4.  Description.  The  work  of  the  preceding  grade 
should  now  be  continued  and  extended.  More  logical 
arrangement  of  details  should  be  expected  and  de- 
manded, and  the  language  used  should  enable  the 
hearer  to  get  a  much  clearer  picture   of  the  thing 


198    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

described.  Good  descriptions  from  literature  should 
be  frequently  read  by  the  pupils.  Attention  should 
be  called  to  figures  of  speech  often  used  in  this  type 
of  composition,  in  order  that  the  children  may  un- 
consciously use  in  their  own  descriptions  those  that 
are  most  effective.    Special  attention  should  be  given 


HOW  TO  SET  A  TABLE  FOR  A  BANQUET  — CORRELATION  OF 
LANGUAGE  AND  DOMESTIC  SCIENCE 

to  the  description  of  pictures  in  both  poetry  and 
prose.  Good  pictures  are  always  useful  material  for 
this  work.  The  work  outlined  in  the  preceding 
grade  offers  many  suggestions  that  may  be  used  in 
this  grade. 

5.  Exposition.  Exposition  is  the  most  difficult 
form  of  discourse,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  more 
important   here  than  in  any  of  the   lower   grades. 


GRADE  EIGHT  199 

Abstract  subjects  dealing  with  moral  and  civic  duties 
may  be  introduced  here  and  seriously  handled.  Sub- 
jects having  to  do  with  various  processes  of  farm 
activities  or  business  life,  such  as  the  preparation  of 
a  seed  bed,  the  cultivation  of  corn,  how  to  apply  for 
a  position,  etc.,  are  especially  good  here.  This  work 
should  lead  to  much  reading  in  reference  books  and 
to  serious  investigation  out  of  school  hours,  which 
will  tend  to  produce  independence  and  self-direction 
in  acquiring  knowledge.  Outhnes  of  the  matter  to 
be  presented  orally  to  the  class,  or  to  the  school  as 
a  whole,  should  always  be  prepared  before  the  recita- 
tion. Much  of  this  work  should  be  presented  before 
the  literary  society  which  is  often  found  in  schools, 
especially  in  rural  schools.  Some  suggestions  for  this 
work  were  made  in  the  paragraph  on  exposition  in 
the  preceding  grade. 

6.  Argument  and  Debate.  As  was  suggested  in 
the  preceding  grade,  talks  on  the  affirmative  and 
negative  sides  of  a  subject  should  be  given  from 
time  to  time  before  the  class.  The  work  this  year 
will  be  much  more  mature,  and  it  should  give  evi- 
dence of  deeper  insight  into  matters  connected  with 
the  subjects  used.  A  regular  debate  on  some  subject 
of  general  interest  may  be  held  between  two  mem- 
bers of  the  class.  This  is  good  practice  for  the  real 
work  of  the  debating  society,  which  every  school 
should  maintain.  Outlines  of  the  argument  should 
always  be  prepared  before  presentation.  Impromptu 
debates  should  frequently  be  held,  in  order  to  develop 


200    LAJs^GUAGE  WOEK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

quickness  in  thought  and  the  abihty  to  think  and  to 
express  thought  without  preparation  and  under  fire. 
Much  emphasis  should  be  placed  on  this  work. 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Memorizing  Work.  The  work  of  the  preceding 
grades  should  be  continued  here.  In  addition  to  the 
memorizing  of  new  selections  this  year,  the  teacher 
should  give  the  children  oj)portunity  to  review  and 
repeat  many  of  those  learned  in  the  grades  below. 
The  child  should  be  sent  on  into  the  high  school  or 
into  active  life  with  his  mind  well  stored  with  the 
great  thoughts  of  the  present  and  of  the  past.  The 
amount  of  new  matter  to  be  memorized  should  be 
about  six  poems,  twelve  memory  gems,  one  or  more 
psalms,  and  three  or  foiu:  prose  selections  of  suitable 
length. 

Suitable  poems  and  memory  gems  are  given  in 
Appendix  B.  The  following  selection  of  poems  and 
prose  is  given,  that  the  teacher  may  have  a  wider 

range  of  choice : 

Poems 

Riley,  J.  W. :  The  Name  of  Old  Glory  ;  Love's  Prayer. 

Bryant,  W.  C.  :  Thanatopsis. 

Byron,  Lord  :  The  Ocean  (Childe  Harold's  Pilgrimage, 
Canto  IV,  clxxix-clxxxiv). 

Lanier,  Sidney:  The  Marshes  of  Glynn. 

Longfellow,  H.  W.  :  The  Building  of  the  Ship ;  The 
Rainy  Bay. 

Lowell,  J.  R. :  Ode  to  Freedom ;  The  Singing  Leaves ; 
The  Present  Crisis. 


GEADE  EIGHT  201 

Texnyson,  Alfred  :  Crossing  the  Bar ;  In  Memoriam 
(selections). 

PoE,  E.  A. :  The  Eaven ;  The  Bells. 

ri>-cH,  F.  M. :  The  Blue  and  the  Gray. 

Bkowxixg,  Eobekt  :  Pheidippides. 

Taylor,  Bayard  :  The  Song  of  the  Camp. 

Whitmax,  Walt  :  0  Captain  !  My  Captain ! 

Howe,  Julia  Ward  :  The  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Eepublic. 

Wordsworth  :  Hart-leap  Well ;  The  Eainbow  ("  My  Heart 
Leaps  Up  "). 

Vax  Dyke,  Hexry  :  The  Angler's  Eeveille. 

Prose 

Bible  :  Sermon  on  the  Mount ;  Paul's  Speech  before 
Agrippa;  Psalms  cxii,  cxxxviii. 

Burke,  Edmund  :  On  Taxing  the  Colonies  (selections). 
Bright,  Johx  :  Britain  and  America. 
Hay,  Johx  :  Eulogy  on  William  INIcKinley. 
IxGERSOLL,  Egbert  :  Speech  at  the  Grave  of  his  Brother. 
Clay,  Hexry  :  Farewell  Address  to  the  Senate. 

2.  Draynatizatlon.  The  work  of  the  previous  grade 
should  be  continued,  with  a  proper  increase  in  de- 
mands as  to  originahty  and  histrionic  alDihty.  The 
material  for  the  plays  should  be  drawn  largely  from 
the  work  in  history,  geography,  and  literature. 
Eighth-grade  children  should  be  al)le  to  arrange  and 
present  a  play  with  only  a  little  help  from  the  teacher. 
The  gu-ls  should  make  the  costumes,  and  the  stage 
should  be  prepared  and  the  scenery  secured  by  the 
boys.  This  will  be  an  excellent  correlation  of  dramatic 
work  and  industrial  activities.  As  sug;s;ested  in  the 
preceding  grade,  one  or  two  good  plays  should  be 


202    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

seriously  studied  by  the  children  as  a  preparation  for 
this  work.  Children  who  show  special  ability  in  the 
writing  of  plays  should  receive  encoui-agement  and 
direction  from  the  teacher.  The  reading  of  selections 
from  dramatic  readers  is  helpful  in  securing  natural 
expression,  and  this  work,  which  was  begun  in  pre- 
ceding grades,  should  be  continued  here.  At  least 
one  original  play  should  be  the  result  of  the  combined 
efforts  of  the  class  during  the  year.  In  addition,  two 
adapted  plays  should  be  brought  to  a  finished  form, 
and  opportunity  for  a  public  presentation  of  one  or 
two  of  these  should  be  given  during  the  year. 

II.  WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WOEK 

Original  Expression 

Little  need  be  added  here  to  what  has  been  said 
about  the  written  composition  work  in  the  preceding 
grade.  If  the  work  of  the  preceding  grades  has  been 
thoroughly  done,  ease  and  accuracy  in  the  expression 
of  thought,  and  ability  to  handle  correctly  all  the 
ordinary  matters  connected  with  the  technique  or 
mechanics  of  written  language,  should  be  evidenced 
before  the  close  of  the  year.  The  careful  analysis  of 
selections  from  the  works  of  our  best  writers  should 
be  continued  with  increased  emphasis.  Students  in 
this  grade  should  be  able  to  correct  each  other's  com- 
positions, in  order  that  the  work  of  marking  errors 
may  require  little  of  the  teacher's  time,  and  that  she 
may  have  more  opportunity  for  helj^ful,  constructive 


GRADE  EIGHT 


203 


Training  School  News 


Vol.  I. 


BOWLING  GREEN,  KY.,  MAY  8,  1914 


No.  5 


"  A  TKIP  TO  LOUISVILLE. 


Last  Thursday  inorniiig  Marjorie,  Mar- 
garet and  Jennie  Vee  were  forced  to  get 
up  earlier  than  usual  to  catch  the  flve- 
lifty  train  to  Louisville.  They  arrived 
there  about  9  a.  m.,  and  took  a  car  up  to 
the  "  Seelbach  Hotel "  to  engage  a  suite 
of  rooms,  than  which  they  found  noth- 
ing "suiter."  While  in  the  city  they 
attended  all  the  K.  E.  A.  meetings  ex- 
cept two.  Also  they  went  to  several  of 
the  theatres.  On  a  shopping  tour  to  the 
"Ten  Cent  Store,"  ^Margaret  got  lost. 
She  became  so  fascinated  by  the  beauti- 
ful articles  around  her  that  she  became 
separated  from  the  others.  They  grew 
very  uneasy  and  notified  the  policeman 
about  her.  About  Ave  o'clock  that  after- 
noon a  policeman  entered  the  hotel 
dragging  the  weeping  IMargaret  at  his 
beels. 

They  decided  one  morning  to  race 
down  the  stairs  and  JNIarjorie,  regardless 
of  the  fact  that  she  was  in  the  Seelbach 
Hotel,  won  the  race  by  sliding  down  the 
banisters. 

Away  from  Miss  Graves'  eagle  eye  the 
girls  made  many  grammatical  mistakes, 
such  as : 

"  I  ketched  it."  —  Marjorie. 

"  I  have  rode  up  in  the  elevator  all 
day."  — Margaret. 


CURRENT  EVENTS. 


Villa  declares  he  does  not  want  to  be 
president.  He  fights  only  to  give  free- 
dom to  ^lexico. 

Officers  of  Huei-ta's  army  plan  to  over- 
throw the  dictator  and  loot  the  capital. 

Carranza's  refusal  to  participate   in 


mediation  will  not  end  the  attempt  to 
I'estore  peace  in  Mexico. 

Villa  is  said  to  be  Wilson's  choice  for 
President.  Senator  Lippitt  introduced 
a  resolution  asking  the  President  for 
verification  of  the  report  that  he  favors 
Villa  for  President  of  Mexico. 

Wm.  Claypool. 


SPORTING  NEWS. 


Last  Saturday  the  Training  School  and 
Ogden  baseball  teams  met  again  for  the 
honors,  each  side  having  won  one  victory 
over  the  other.  When  the  umpire  called 
"  play  ball,"  the  faces  of  all  the  players 
wore  a  determined  look.  Ogden  took 
first  bat  and  secured  four  nins  that 
inning.  Then  it  Avas  the  Training 
School's  time  to  bat  but  they  had  little 
success.  The  second  time  the  Training 
School  came  to  bat  it  looked  bad  for 
them,  the  score  being  1  to  11,  but  when 
that  inning  was  over  the  score  was  12  to 
11  in  favor  of  the  Training  School.  The 
Training  School  changed  pitchers  but  it 
was  useless  for  Ogden  secured  five  runs. 
In  the  last  innings  each  side  scored  one 
or  two  runs  each  inning,  and  when  the 
game  was  over,  the  score  was  24  to  20  in 
favor  of  Ogden.  Batteries  for  Ogden, 
Love  and  Grimsley  ;  for  Training  School, 
Hinton  and  Larmon.  J.  G. 


A  POEM. 


"  A  trip  to  Louisville  was  took, 
And  when  the  train  went  over  a  brook, 
JNIarjorie  raised  up  and  tried  to  hook. 
The  conductor's  note  book." 

—  Jennie  Vee. 


SCHOOL  PAPER  MAINTAINED  BY  A  SCHOOL  OF  THREE 
HUNDRED  PUPILS 


204    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

criticism.  Impromptu  composition  with  a  time  limit 
should  often  be  required.  Compositions  that  contain 
many  errors  and  are  carelessly  written  should  be 
rewritten.  Full  directions  as  to  the  proper  conduct 
of  the  written  work  are  given  in  the  discussion  of 
the  subject  in  the  preceding  grade. 

Where  a  school  paper  is  maintained,  eighth-grade 
children  should  be  allowed  to  submit  to  it  their  written 
compositions.  This  will  furnish  a  strong  incentive 
for  the  work.  If  the  high  school  has  a  paper,  the 
eighth-grade  teacher  should  strive  to  bring  the  work 
of  her  children  to  such  a  standard  that  some  of  it 
will  be  accepted  by  this  paper. 

The  following  are  the  suggested  forms  of  discourse 
for  this  year's  written  composition  work.  In  this 
grade  the  teacher  may  use,  as  a  preparation  for 
the  high  school,  such  technical  terms  as  '  exposition,' 
'  unity,'  etc.  in  directing  the  work. 

1.  Letter -Writing .  The  work  of  this  year  should 
round  out  and  complete  the  pupil's  acquaintance  with 
all  ordinary  kinds  of  letters,  and  it  should  be  made 
very  practical.  To  this  end  much  practice  in  writing 
various  kinds  of  business  letters  should  be  given. 
Good  models  of  all  kinds  of  letters  may  be  studied 
with  profit.  The  teacher  should  ask  the  children  to 
allow  her  to  criticize  some  of  their  real  letters,  in 
order  that  the  knowledge  gained  in  school  work  may 
be  correctly  applied  in  outside  life.  The  children 
should  be  taught  to  remember  that  in  social  let- 
ters the  smallest  details  are  appropriate,  but  that  in 


GRADE  EIGHT  205 

business  letters  statements  should  be  short  and  to 
the  point.  A  cooperative-grade  letter,  which  was  sug- 
gested in  the  three  preceding  grades,  may  be  sent  to 
the  eighth  grade  of  another  school.  In  some  schools 
much  interest  and  profit  have  been  derived  from 
having  a  little  make-believe  post  office  in  the  school- 
room. The  teacher  should  strive  to  make  each  child 
who  leaves  this  grade  an  adept  in  writing  neat  and 
correct  letters,  for  a  letter  is  the  evidence  by  which 
the  receiver  judges  the  writer's  education  and  culture. 

2.  Narration.  The  directions  given  for  this  work 
in  the  preceding  grade  may  be  followed  equally  w^ell 
here.  Emphasis  should  be  placed  on  the  writing 
of  short  stories  and  of  personal  experiences.  A  good 
preparation  for  the  work  is  the  criticism,  as  to  plot, 
dialogue,  climax,  setting,  interest,  etc.,  of  stories 
from  the  pens  of  masters  such  as  Irving,  Haw- 
thorne, 0.  Henry,  Bret  Harte,  and  others.  Supple- 
mentary and  regular  readers  will  furnish  suitable 
material  for  this  purpose.  The  story  work  in  the 
eight  grades  should  discover  in  every  school  a  few 
pupils  who  may  later  be  able  to  write  short  stories 
of  merit,  and  such  talent  should  be  encouraged  and 
directed  by  the  teacher.  A  motive  should  be  given 
to  the  work  whenever  possible. 

3.  DescrijJtion.  The  work  of  the  preceding  grades 
will  be  continued  here.  Children  in  this  grade  are 
better  prepared  than  are  those  in  the  seventh  grade 
to  study  good  models  of  description,  many  of  which 
are  found  in  George  Eliot's  "  Mill  on  the  Floss," 


206    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


Irving' s  "  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow,"  Tennyson's 
"  Enoch  Arden,"  etc.  The  chief  points  of  excellence  in 
a  descri^jtion  are  logical  arrangement  of  details  in  pass- 
ing from  wholes  to  parts,  vividness,  and  preservation 

of  a  constant  point 
of  view.  The  writ- 
ten composition 
should  be  illus- 
trated by  original 
drawings  when- 
ever possible. 

4.  Exposition. 
The  discussions  of 
exposition  in  the 
preceding  grade 
and  of  oral  ex- 
position in  this 
grade  will  give 
directions  for  the 
work  here.  The 
oral  work  may 
lead  to  the  writ- 
ing of  essays  on 
subjects  already 
outlined  for  talks. 
Similar  essays  may  follow  extended  observations, 
investigations,  and  reading.  Interpretation  of  short 
poems,  memory  gems,  or  prose  selections  should  also 
form  a  part  of  the  work.  Exposition  is  difficult,  and 
the  teacher  should  not  expect  too  much  of  her  pupils. 


DKAWING     MADK     \\\     AX     ElGHTH-d  KADI': 

GIRL  TO   ILLUSTRATE   HER   OWN    WRITTEN 

DESCRIPTION 


GRADE  EIGHT  207 

5.  Argument  and  Debate.  The  chief  emphasis  in 
this  work  is  to  be  placed  on  the  oral  work.  It  may  be 
well,  however,  to  have  pupils  occasionally  w^rite  out 
in  full  the  argument  on  one  side  of  a  question.  This 
written  composition  may  be  memorized  and  given  as 
a  part  of  a  regular  debate  before  the  class  or  in  the 
literary  society  if  one  is  maintained.  Special  empha- 
sis should  be  placed  on  the  preparation  of  outlines 
of  subjects  for  debate. 

6.  Verse-Writing .  This  work  should  be  encouraged 
and  directed  as  indicated  in  preceding  grades.  Pupils 
who  show  special  ability  along  this  line  should  be 
given  individual  help  and  encouragement.  Much 
meniorizing  and  study  of  poetry  in  all  the  lower 
grades  may  reveal  in  some  pupils  a  decided  talent 
for  writing  verse. 

7.  Diary.  As  suggested  in  the  three  preceding 
grades,  the  teacher  may  with  great  profit  to  the 
children  direct  the  keeping  of  a  diary  by  each  child. 
Directions  for  the  work  are  given  in  those  grades. 

8.  Drejmration  of  Outlines.  In  all  the  forms  of 
discourse  an  outline  of  the  line  of  thought  to  be  fol- 
lowed may  profitably  be  prepared  before  the  actual 
work  of  composition  is  begun.  This  exercise  was  sug- 
gested in  the  two  preceding  grades,  but  it  is  more 
important  and  profitable  here.  It  is  hardly  possible  to 
get  logical  compositions  in  any  other  way.  The  work 
may  be  enlarged  to  embrace  outlines  and  summaries 
of  the  matter  in  history,  geography,  and  reading 
lessons,  or  in  magazine  and  newspaper  articles. 


208 


GRADE  EIGHT  209 

Imitative  Expression 

1.  Dictation.  The  dictation  exercises  this  year 
should  test  the  child's  knowledge  of  all  matters  touch- 
ing the  mechanics  of  written  language  that  have 
been  learned  in  the  first  seven  years.  The  method  of 
conducting  the  work  has  been  outlined  in  preceding 
grades.  At  least  two  exercises  each  week  should  be 
devoted  to  the  work. 

III.    GENERAL  WORK 

Word  Study 

All  the  various  kinds  of  word-study  work  that 
were  outlined  in  the  preceding  grade,  including  deri- 
vations, prefixes  and  suffixes,  synonyms,  homonyms, 
etc.,  should  be  continued  here.  The  study  of  deriva- 
tions and  word-building  from  the  standpoint  of  roots 
and  prefixes  should  be  especially  emphasized.  All 
the  words  built  on  two  or  three  roots,  with  the 
various  prefixes  with  which  they  are  combined, 
should  be  found  in  the  dictionary  and  arranged 
alphabetically.  For  example,  on  the  two  stems  of 
mitto,  "to  send"  {mitt  and  miss),  no  less  than  three 
hundred  English  words  are  built,  as  ad-m?'^,  ad- 
miss-ion.,  com-mit,  com-iniss-ion.  In  the  same  way 
mov  and  mot,  from  moveo,  "  to  move,"  and  pon  and 
2)0s,  from |90?zo,  "to  place,"  may  be  used.  Again,  all 
of  the  w^ords  beginning  with  certain  prefixes  may  be 
found  in  the  dictionary  and  tabulated.   Many  common 


210    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 


prefixes  are  given  under  Word  Study  in  the  fifth  and 
sixth  grades.  The  derivation  of  difficult  words  found 
in  the  work  of  the  grade,  such  as  '  preposition,'  '  con- 
junction,' 'submarine,'  'citizen,'  'tradition,'  and  'post- 
pone,' may  occasionally  l^e  worked  out  with  the  aid 
of  a  dictionary. 
In  the  language 
work  of  this 
grade  the  study 


THE  CHILDREN  MAY  MAKE  CRUDE,  HUMOROUS  DRAWINGS  TO  ILLUS- 
TRATE THEIR  NARRATIONS  AND  DESCRIPTIONS 

of  synonyms  is  especially  useful  in  assisting  the  child 
to  make  a  proper  choice  of  words.  The  work  of  ac- 
quainting the  children  with  something  of  the  history 
of  the  English  language — a  subject  which  was  intro- 
duced in  the  preceding  grade  —  should  be  continued 
and  emphasized  here. 


GRADE  EIGHT  211 

Technical  Matteks 

During  this  year  the  teacher  should  test  the  pupils 
carefully  and  thoroughly  as  to  their  knowledge  of  all 
matters  connected  with  punctuation,  capitalization, 
form,  etc.  that  have  been  outlined  from  grade  to  grade 
under  the  heading  of  Technical  Matters.  This  test- 
ing will  be  done  in  dictation  exercises,  in  composi- 
tion work,  and  wherever  an  opportunity  occurs. 

English  Grammar 

This  year's  work  in  grammar  should  continue  and 
enlarge  upon  that  of  last  3'ear.  Complete  analysis 
of  sentences  gradually  increasing  in  difhculty,  and 
the  mastery  of  all  useful  matters  connected  wdth 
parts  of  speech,  should  be  the  chief  work  of  the  year. 
As  in  the  preceding  grade,  sentences  taken  from  the 
composition  work  should  furnish  a  large  part  of  the 
material  for  both  kinds  of  study.  It  may  be  consid- 
ered a  good  plan  to  have  the  children  keep,  in  a 
small  notebook,  sentences,  taken  from  books,  maga- 
zines, newspapers,  etc.,  that  illustrate  various  usages 
and  principles  discussed  in  the  class.  In  order  that 
principle  and  practice  may  be  brought  closer  together, 
the  children  should  be  asked  to  observe  their  own  lan- 
guage and  that  of  others,  to  note  the  errors  made. 
These  errors,  together  with  the  correction  in  each  case, 
should  be  written  down  and  handed  in  to  the  teacher.^ 

1  Teachers  of  language  will  get  much  practical  help  from  a  bulletin 
issued  recently  by  the  University  of  Missouri  (Columbia,  Missouri), 
Vol.  16,  No.  2,  entitled  "A  Course  of  Study  in  Grammar  based  upon 
the  Grammatical  Errors  of  School  Children  of  Kansas  City,  Missouri." 


212    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

The  teacher  should  always  remember  that  the  pur- 
pose of  studying  grammar  is  to  develop  the  ability 
to  speak  and  write  the  mother  tongue  correctly, 
to  think  accurately  and  incisively,  and  to  interpret 
thought  expressed  in  words.  These  results  cannot  be 
achieved  by  the  old  method  of  memorizing  defini- 
tions and  categories,  by  diagramming,  and  by  parsing 
ad  nauseam.  For  this  reason  the  textbook  should  be 
used  simply  as  a  guide  to  logical  procedure. 

As  in  the  preceding  grade,  one  or  two  recitations 
each  week  may  be  devoted  entirely  to  the  grammar 
work.  The  present-day  tendency,  however,  is  to  dis- 
card the  formal  teaching  of  grammar.  It  may  be 
thought  best,  therefore,  to  teach  these  principles 
largely  in  connection  with  the  composition  work  and 
the  study  of  hterature.  The  teachers  in  the  Kansas 
City  schools  have  prepared  what  is  perhaps  the 
sanest  course  in  English  grammar  yet  worked  out. 
Outlines  of  this  course  may  be  obtained  from  the 
Superintendent  of  Schools,  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 
The  following  outhne  is  suggested  for  the  year's 
work   in   grammar : 

A.  Analysis  of  Sentences 

1.  Thorough    review    of    simplified    analysis    of    seventh 

grade. 

2.  Complete  analysis  of  sentences,  separating  phrases  and 

clauses  into  their  elements. 

3.  Careful  study  of  subordinate  clauses  as  to  office  —  sub- 

stantive, adjectival,  adverbial ;  conjunctive  words. 

4.  Similar  study  of  phrases. 

5.  Continue  limited  use  of  diagram. 


GRADE  EIGHT  213 

B.  Parts  of  Speech 

Thorough  review  of  work  of  preceding  grade.  Teach  all  sub- 
divisions and  inflections.  Omit  the  ultratechnical  and  the 
useless  categories. 

1.  Noun : 

a.  Classes  :  proper,  common,  collective,  abstract. 
h.  Properties :  case,  gender,  number. 

2.  Pronrjun : 

a.  Classes :  personal,  relative,  interrogative,  demonstra- 
tive. 

h.  Properties :  case,  gender,  number,  person. 

c.  Special :  restrictive  and  explanatory  relatives ;  relative 
and  interrogative  '  who '  and  ^  what ' ;  uses  of  '  it ' ; 
intensive  and  reflexive  uses  of  personal  pronoun. 

3.  Adjective  : 

a.  Classes  :  descriptive  and  definitive,  with  subdivisions. 

b.  Comparison :   ways  of  forming  comparatives ;  adjec- 

tives incapable  of  comparison. 

4.  Verb: 

a.  Classes    according    to    use :    transitive,    intransitive ; 

attributive,  copulative. 

b.  Classes  according  to  form  :  regular,  irregular. 

c.  Properties  : 

(1)  Mood :  indicative,  subjunctive,  imperative. 

(2)  Tense  :  the  six  tenses. 

(3)  Voice :  active,  passive. 

(4)  Person :    show  that  the  verb  has  almost  lost  this 

property,  in  form  if  not  in  thought. 

(5)  Number :  same  as  in  (4). 

d.  Modified  forms  :  infinitives,  participles ;  show  double 

use. 

e.  Conjugation  :  teach  entire  conjugation  by  having  pupils 

construct  all  forms  of  the  verb.    Give  no  time  to 
formal  repetition. 


214    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

f.  Auxiliaries :  teach  meaning  and  use,  especially  of 
^  shall,'  '  will,'  '  can,'  *  may ' ;  those  that  may  be 
regular  verbs  also, 

5.  Adverb : 

a.  Classes :  time,  cause,  manner,  place,  degree,  conjunctive. 

b.  Comparison :  ways  of  forming  comparatives ;  adverbs 

capable  of  comparison. 

6.  Conjunction : 

a.  Coordinate  and  subordinate  :  classes  of  each ;  classify 
coordinate  conjunctions  according  to  kind  of  clause 
introduced. 


LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  RURAL  SCHOOLS 


LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  RURAL  SCHOOLS 

The  preceding  pages  of  this  book  outline  the  lan- 
guage work  of  the  eight  grades  as  it  should  be  done 
in  all  graded  schools,  whether  rural  or  city.  There 
are  certain  problems,  however,  that  are  peculiar  to 
the  rural  school,  where  each  teacher  instructs  from 
two  to  eight  grades.  In  view  of  this  fact,  it  may  be 
well  to  offer  some  suggestions  to  the  rural  teacher, 
in  order  that  she  may  be  able  to  adapt  the  work  of 
the  preceding  pages  to  her  needs. 

Language  work  in  rural  schools  should  not  be  dif- 
ferent from  that  of  city  and  town  schools.  It  is  true, 
however,  that  shorter  terms  and  recitation  periods 
make  it  difficult  to  cover  the  same  amount  of  ground 
and  to  keep  the  same  standard.  The  out-of-door 
world  offers  to  the  rural  school  a  wealth  of  subjects 
for  language  exercises ;  this  should  give  the  work  a 
freshness  that  is  hardly  possible  in  the  city  school. 
In  the  rural  school  the  term  is  being  gradually 
lengthened,  and  at  no  distant  day  the  country  child 
may  be  able  to  go  to  school  as  long  each  year  as 
his  city  cousin,  but  the  length  of  class  recitation 
periods  will  not  be  increased  materially  so  long  as 
each  teacher  is  forced  to  instruct  from  two  to  eight 
grades. 

217 


218    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Therefore  the  chief  difficulty  in  language  work,  as 
well  as  in  all  other  subjects  in  rural  schools,  is  the 
short  recitation  period,  which  is  caused  by  the  neces- 
sarily large  number  of  classes  for  each  teacher.  A 
partial  solution  of  this  problem  is  to  comljine  classes 
by  alternating  the  work  of  the  grades  most  nearly 
of  the  same  advancement.  The  following  outlines, 
giving  the  number  of  language  classes  and  the  prob- 
able amount  of  time  for  each,  in  -the  several  kinds 
of  rural  schools,  are  offered  as  a  possible  solution  of 
the  problem. 

One-Teacher  School 

In  the  one-teacher  school  of  eight  grades  the  best 
scheme  of  alternation  yet  offered  places  from  twenty 
to  twenty-two  classes  on  the  daily  program  of  recita- 
tions. This  gives  an  average  of  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  minutes  for  each  recitation.  In  the  Ian- 
guage  work  only  four  classes  are  usually  possible 
each  day,  as  follows : 

First  Class.  First  and  second  grades  combined. 
Eighteen  to  twenty  minutes.  This  time  will  have  to 
be  divided  between  the  two  grades  during  the  first 
month  perhaps,  or  until  the  first-grade  children  are 
able  to  take  up  the  work  with  those  in  the  second 
gi'ade.  After  about  one  month  the  two  grades  can 
easily  recite  together  in  conversation  exercises,  in 
story-telling,  in  dramatization,  and,  for  the  most 
part,  in  memorizing.  Very  little  written  work  will 
be  attempted  with  the  first-grade  children  until  the 


RUEAL  SCHOOLS 


219 


latter  part  of  the  year.  Written  work  in  the  second 
grade  will  therefore  have  to  be  done  separately. 
Copying  work  and  seat  work  with  letter  cards  may 
be  carried  on  with  the  two  grades  working  together. 
Second  Class.  Third  and  fourth  grades  combined. 
Fifteen  to  eighteen  minutes.  Grade  Three  in  odd 
years  and  Grade  Four  in  even  years.    With  judicious 


RETURN  TO  THE  FARM 
(After  Troyon) 

Pictures  of  rural  life  afford  interesting  subjects  for  rural-school 
language  work 

adjustment  the  work  of  these  two  years  may  be  alter- 
nated in  all  kinds  of  language  work.  For  example, 
if  in  an  even  3^ear  the  fourth  year's  work  is  to  be 
offered  to  children  some  of  whom  are  coming  from  the 
second  year's  work  and  some  from  the  third  year's 
work,  the  requirements  may  be  reduced   somewhat 


220    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

for  the  benefit  of  those  coming  from  the  second 
grade.  No  loss  of  interest  and  development  will  be 
occasioned  in  this  way  by  some  repetition  of  third- 
year  work  if  new  material  in  the  way  of'  stories, 
poems,  and  composition  subjects  is  used.  Verse- 
writing,  dictionary  work,  argument,  etc.,  which  are 
suggested  for  introduction  in  the  fomlh  year,  should 
be  left  over  to  the  latter  part  of  the  year,  or  per- 
haps it  would  be  better  to  postpone  them  until  the 
next  year.  Likewise,  when  third-grade  work  is  offered 
in  its  turn,  and  children  are  now  to  come  into  the 
class  from  the  second  grade  and  from  the  reduced 
fourth  grade  of  the  preceding  year,  a  repetition  of 
the  various  kinds  of  work  done  by  the  advanced 
children  will  be  found  satisfactory  if  new  material 
is  used.  This  same  general  plan  will  hold  good  in 
the  following  classes : 

Third  Class.  Fifth  and  sixth  grades  combined. 
Eighteen  to  twenty  minutes.  The  work  of  these 
two  grades  may  be  alternated  as  suggested  for.  the 
preceding  class,  the  fifth-grade  work  being  offered 
in  odd  years  and  the  sixth  in  even  years. 

Fourth  Class.  Seventh  and  eighth  grades  com- 
bined. Twenty  to  twenty-two  minutes.  The  work 
of  these  two  grades  may  be  alternated  as  suggested 
for  the  third  and  fourth  grades  above,  the  seventh- 
grade  work  being  offered  in  odd  years  and  the 
eighth  in  even  years. 


RURAL  SCHOOLS  221 

Two-Teacher  School 

Firnt  Teacher,  Grades  One  to  Four 

First  Class.  First  grade.  Fifteen  to  eighteen  min- 
utes. Regular  work  outlined  for  first  grade  in  the 
section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Second  Class.  Second  grade.  Fifteen  to  eighteen 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  second  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Third  Class.  Third  and  fourth  grades  combined. 
Eighteen  to  twenty  minutes.  The  work  of  the  two 
grades  may  be  alternated  as  suggested  for  Second 
Class  in  the  one-teacher  school.  The  teacher  should 
not  adopt  the  scheme  of  alternation,  however,  unless 
the  schedule  of  classes  is  crowded  and  unless  the 
classes  are  small. 

Second  Teacher,  Grrades  Five  to  Fight 

First  Class.  Fifth  grade.  Eighteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  fifth  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Second  Class.  Sixth  grade.  Eighteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  sixth  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Third  Class.  Seventh  and  eighth  grades  combined. 
Alternation  is  suggested  here  rather  than  with  the 
fifth  and  sixth  grades,  because  the  pupils  are  fewer 
in  number  and  the  work  of  the  two  grades  is  more 
nearlv  alike.  See  suQ;o;estion  for  Fourth  Class  in  the 
one-teacher  school. 


222    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN"  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Three-Teacher  School 

First  xTeacJier^  Grades  One  to  Three 

First  Class.  First  grade.  Fifteen  to  eighteen 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  first  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  b}^  Grades. 


ByVi  fc".  •*»^-"~j**''~'**"  -"^^^^^^^^ 

^^^^^■R?     II     "*     |K> 
■^^^^^^■K9y|L     MK,    ■•   JUL. 

COUNTY  SCHOOL  FAIRS  FURNISH  LIVE  TOPICS  FOR  NARRATION 
AND  DESCRIPTION 

Second  Class.  Second  grade.  Fifteen  to  eighteen 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  second  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Third  Class.  Third  grade.  Eighteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  third  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades.  Much 
time  may  be  saved  by  combining  the  work  of  the 
second  and  third  grades  in  story-telling,  dramatiza- 
tion, memorizing,  etc. 


RURAL  SCHOOLS  223 

Second  Teaclier^  Grades  Four  to  Six 

First  Class.  Fourth,  grade.  Eigliteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  fourth  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Second  Class.  Fifth  grade.  Eighteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  fifth  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  AYork  by  Grades. 

Third  Class.  Sixth  grade.  Eighteen  to  twenty 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  sixth  grade  in 
the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades.  Much 
time  may  be  saved  by  combining  the  work  of  the 
fourth  and  fifth,  and  of  the  fifth  and  sixth,  grades, 
particularly  in  observation  reports,  story-telling,  dram- 
atization, memorizing,  argument,  and  dictation;  in 
fact,  in  most  schools  alternation  may  be  effected  in 
this  way  in  all  kinds  of  language  work  and  this 
will  lengthen  the  recitation  periods. 

Tliird  Teacher,  Grades  Seven  and  Eiglit,  with  perhaps  Some 
High-School  Work 

First  Class.  Seventh  grade.  Twenty  to  twenty-two 
minutes.  Regular  work  outlined  for  seventh  grade 
in  the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Second  Class.  Eighth  grade.  Twenty  to  twenty- 
two  minutes.  Regular  work  outhned  for  eighth  grade 
in  the  section  on  Language  AVork  by  Grades.  It  would 
be  well,  especially  if  the  classes  are  small,  to  combine 
much  of  the  work  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades,  as 
suggested  in  the  third  class  of  the  preceding  teacher. 


224    LAKGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Four-Teacher  School 

In  the  four-teacher  rural  school  each  teacher  will 
probably  have  two  grades  to  instruct.  This  will  make 
it  possible  for  each  grade  to  have  its  language  recita- 
tion of  from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  each  day.  The 
work  of  different  grades  may  often  be  profitably 
combined,  as  suggested  in  the  work  of  the  three- 
teacher  school  above. 

General  Direction  and  Subject  Matter 

A  fundamental  duty  of  the  rural  school  is,  in  addi- 
tion to  giving  instruction  in  reading,  history,  arith- 
metic, geography,  etc.,  to  train  the  child  for  the  life 
he  is  to  live,  to  develop  in  him  a  reverent  appreci- 
ation of  nature,  and  to  instruct  him  in  agriculture, 
home-making,  etc.  Language  work  in  the  rural 
school,  therefore,  should  develop  thought,  encourage 
observation  and  investigation,  and  lead  to  correct 
and  intelligent  expression  about  rural  activities,  not, 
however,  to  the  complete  exclusion  of  matters  con- 
nected with  the  life  of  the  great  outside  world. 

No  subject  in  the  public-school  curriculum  lends 
itself  so  readily  and  effectively  to  the  scheme  of  cor- 
relating practical  instruction  in  nature  and  farm-life 
subjects  with  the  regular  branches  of  study  as  does 
language  work.  Every  child  in  the  rural  school  has 
his  language  lesson  every  day  throughout  the  eight 
years  of  his  public-school  life.  Subjects  for  these 
language  lessons  must  be  chosen  by  the  teacher,  and 


KURAL  SCHOOLS  225 

they  should,  for  the  most  part,  be  closely  related  to 
the  child's  life  and  interests  if  the  work  is  to  be 
interesting  and  profitable. 

Nowhere  can  better  or  more  attractive  subjects  be 
found  than  in  the  realms  of  nature  study  and  agri- 
culture. Subjects  chosen  from  the  woods  and  fields 
are  interesting  because  they  are  a  part  of  the  child's 


AX  OPPORTUNl  r\     I'  I  1  ■  -URELATE  LANGUAGE  AND  AGRICULTURE 

everyday  life.  In  talking  and  writing  about  attri- 
butes, relations,  and  activities  of  objects  in  the  world 
about  him,  such  as  birds,  insects,  plants,  etc.,  the 
child,  besides  gaining  valuable  information,  is  adding 
to  his  language  equipment  not  words  that  are  mean- 
ingless, but  words  that  are  really  "  signs  of  ideas." 

Many  of  the  new  activities  introduced  into  rural 
life  in  connection  with  agriculture  and  the  home- 
making  arts  offer  an  abundance  of  material  for  lan- 
guage w^ork.  Boys'  com  clubs  and  girls'  canning 
clubs  afford  many  desirable  subjects  for  narration, 


226    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

description,  and  exposition.  School  gardens  and  experi- 
mental plots,  as  well  as  experiments  in  bread-baking, 
the  cooking  of  meat,  etc.,  also  furnish  valuable 
material  for  language  lessons.  The  poems  and  gems 
wliich  are  memorized  should,  in  the  majority  of  cases, 


BOYS'  CORN  CLUBS  OFFER  MANY  INTERESTING  SUBJECTS  FOR 
ORAL  AND  WRITTEN  LANGUAGE  WORK 


touch  nature  and  farm-life  activities,  while  subjects 
for  argument  in  the  language  recitation  and  for  debate 
in  the  literary  society  should  be  taken  largely  from 
the  same  source.  The  school  library  should  contain  as 
many  of  the  farmers'  bulletins  on  practical  farm-life 
subjects  (issued  by  the  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture)  as  may  be  useful  to  teacher  and  pupils 


RURAL  SCHOOLS  227 

in  their  research  work.  It  should  also  contain  some 
good  works  on  agriculture,  nature  study,  and  domestic 
science. 

The  various  kinds  of  language  work  outlined  grade 
by  grade  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  l^ook  are  as  prac- 
tical for  use  in  the  rural  school  as  in  city  and  town 
schools.  The  only  difference  l^etween  the  work  done 
in  the  two  kinds  of  schools  ought  to  be  that  in  the 
choice  of  subjects  for  composition  work  the  rural- 
school  teacher  should  give  the  most  prominent  place 
to  the  rural-life  subjects  suggested  in  the  outlines 
which  follow  this  paragraph.  She  ought  not  to  for- 
get, however,  that  the  country  child  should  frequently 
talk  and  write  about  the  affairs  and  facts  of  hfe  in 
the  city,  on  the  sea,  in  foreign  lands,  etc.  The  fol- 
lowing paragraphs  are  intended  to  be  used  in  connec- 
tion with  the  outlines  of  language  work  by  grades, 
given  earlier  in  this  book.  They  are  written  to  give 
some  guidance  and  help  to  the  teacher  who  desires  to 
give  her  language  work  a  more  distinctly  rural  flavor. 

1.  Conversation  Exercises.  As  has  been  shown, 
simple  conversation  should  be  resorted  to  as  a  neces- 
sary means  of  developing  thought  and  language  power 
in  the  earlier  grades.  For  subjects  in  this  work  rural 
life  affords  abundant  material.  The  following  outline 
is  simply  suggestive  : 

a.  Plant  life:  corn,  cotton,  wheat,  tobacco,  potatoes,  oats, 
and  all  the  products  of  field  and  garden  ;  flowers,  weeds, 
and  shrubbery,  both  wild  and  domestic ;  trees,  both  wild  and 
domestic,  shade  and  orchard. 


228    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


^^\m^'*' 


b.  Animal  life:  cow,  horse,  sheep,  dog,  rabbit,  squirrel, 
and  all  others,  both  wild  and  domestic;  birds,  domestic  and 
wild,  such  as  bluebird,  bluejay,  chicken,  turkey,  hawk,  etc. ; 
insects,  useful  and  destructive,  such  as  the  cutworm,  moth, 
house  ant,  wasp,  fly,  mosquito,  etc. 

c.  General :  pets,  playthings,  home  activities,  holidays,  the 
mail  carrier ;  the  seasons  ;  clouds,  snow,  frost,  hail ;  food,  cloth- 
ing, and  questions  of 
morals,  manners,  and 
personal  hygiene. 

Pictures  of  ani- 
mals and  of  farm 
life  may  be  used  as 
a  basis  for  these 
exercises.  The  list 
on  the  opposite 
page  includes  the 
names  of  many 
well-known  pic- 
tm*es  which  make 
excellent  subjects 
for  conversations. 
2.  Narration.  Personal  experiences  and  stories 
should  be  told  by  the  children  in  all  grades.  In 
the  rural  school  these  experiences  will  be  associated 
largely  with  life  on  the  farm  and  in  the  woods.  It 
may  be  a  fishing  or  hunting  trip;  an  afternoon  in 
the  woods ;  watching  a  mother  bird  build  a  nest  or 
feed  her  young ;  a  successful  experience  in  making 
bread,  or  gardening,  or  raising  chickens.  Boys'  corn 
clubs,  gMs'  canning  clubs,  and  work  in  caring  for 


THE  COUKTRY  OFFERS  BEAUTIFUL  SUB 
JECTS  FOR  DESCRIPTION 


KUKAL  SCHOOLS  229 

experimental  garden  plots  will  afford  many  interest- 
ing subjects  for  narration. 

3.  Descrijjtion.  This  work  should  be  done  in  all 
the  grades,  as  outhned  in  the  section  on  Language 
Work  by  Grades.  The  following  outline  suggests  the 
kind  of  subjects  that  should  be  given  a  prominent 
place  in  rural-school  language  work : 

a.  Agriculture:  scenes  of  field,  orchard,  pasture,  garden,  and 
barnyard  (sucb  as  salting  sheep),  the  orchard  in  full  bloom ;  do- 
mestic animals  under  various  conditions,  such  as  eating,  drink- 
ing, in  harness,  at  play,  etc. ;  plants  at  various  stages  of  growth ; 
school  gardens,  farm  implements,  hotbeds,  cold  frames,  etc. 

b.  Nature  study :  wild  and  domestic  animals ;  shrubbery ; 
weeds ;  all  trees  in  community  ;  forest  and  river  scenes  ;  land- 
scape from  home,  schoolhouse,  and  elsewhere  ;  moon,  sun,  stars, 
sunset,  sunrise,  moonlight  scenes,  snow,  rain,  and  storms. 

Pictures  of  rural  life  may  be  effectively  used  in 
this  work.  The  following,  which  may  be  purchased 
from  any  school-supply  house,  are  suggested  for  use : 

Grades  Oxe,  Two,  axd  Three 

Millet,  J.  F. :  Feeding  her  Birds ;  The  Churning ;  Shep- 
herdess Knitting ;  The  Gleaners. 

Adam,  Jeax  :  The  Cat  Family. 

BoxHEUR,  EosA :  Ploughing;  Flock  of  Sheep;  The  Horse 
Fair ;  Family  Cares. 

MuRiLLO,  B.  E. :  The  Melon-Eaters. 

Dagxax-Bouveret,  p.  A.  :  At  the  Watering-Trough. 

Laxdseer,  Edwix  :  Shoeing  the  Bay  Mare  ;  The  Highland 
Shepherd's  Home. 

DuPRE,  Jules  :  The  Haymakers ;  The  Escaped  Cow. 

"Weber,  Otto  :  Greedy  Calves. 

Bretox,  J.  A. :  Blessing  the  Fields. 


230    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Grades  Four,  Five,  and  Six 

Taylor,  W.  L.  :  The  Village  Blacksmith. 
Millet,  J.  F.  :  Sheep  Shearing. 
Landseer,  Edwin  :  A  Pair  of  Nutcrackers. 
Breton,  J.  A. :  The  Song  of  the  Lark. 
CoROT,  J.  B.  C. :  Road  through  the  Woods. 
Morgan,  Jacques  :  A  Heavy  Load. 
MuRiLLo,  B.  E. :  Fruit  Venders. 
Troyon,  Constant  :  Return  to  the  Farm. 

Grades  Seven  and  Eight 

Troyon,  Constant  :  Oxen  Going  to  Work. 
BoNHEUR,  Rosa  :  Grazing  Cow. 
Ruysdael,  Jacob  :   Windmill. 
Millet,  J.  F. :  Angelus  ;  Labor. 
Jacque,  C.  E.:  The  Sheep  Fold. 
Raphael  :  Miraculous  Draught  of  Fishes. 
Daubigny,  Charles  Francois  :  Spring. 

4.  Exijosition.  Some  kinds  of  exposition  are  very 
difficult  and  shonld  seldom  be  attempted  below  the 
seventh  and  eighth  grades.  That  form  of  it,  however, 
which  simply  gives  interesting  information  about 
subjects  common  to  the  life  of  children,  or  tells  the 
how  of  games  or  simple  actions,  may  be  attempted  in 
all  grades.  For  example,  if  the  subject  offered  to  the 
class  is  corn,  the  discussion  will  probably  touch  upon 
such  subjects  as  the  uses  of  corn  for  food,  where 
grown,  how  cultivated  and  harvested,  relative  value 
as  a  farm  crop,  choice  of  seed  corn,  etc.  The  details 
and  intensiveness  will  of  course  increase  somewhat 
with  each  grade. 


RUKAL  SCHOOLS 


231 


The  following  outline  is  suggestive  of  the  kind  of 
subject  that  may  be  chosen  for  this  work : 

a.  Agriculture:  Farm  crops  :  as,  cotton  (as  to  appearance  of 
plant,  where  grown,  where  and  how  manufactured  into  cloth, 
uses  for  clothing,  thread,  etc.,  value  as  a  farm  crop),  wheat, 
corn,  tobacco,  oats,  hemp,  potatoes,  fruit,  vegetables,  etc.  Do- 
mestic animals,  such  as  the  cow,  horse,  hog,  etc.  —  uses,  value 


^|^^HH9EI^^^<«^^^^^^ 

* 

1                   ;^'Si*2jafiJ?^i',|  -^ 

ORAL  WOKK  JN   i  'J^  \  EKSATION,  BESrltli'Tln.N ,  A^]>  EXl'uSlTlU>.'. 
SUBJECT,  FLOWERS  GATHERED  AT  RECESS 

on  farm,  care  of,  breeds,  etc.    Miscellaneous :    farm  accounts, 
hotbeds,  good  roads,  irrigation,  fertilizers,  silos,  erosion. 

h.  Nature  study:  good  and  bad  birds,  weeds,  insects;  trees 
in  the  community,  kinds,  value  for  wood  and  shade,  shape  of 
leaves,  kind  of  bark,  etc. ;  shrubbery,  ilowers  (wild  and  domes- 
tic) ;  operations  of  nature,  as  snow,  rain,  sleet,  hail,  frost. 

The  kind  of  exposition  that  demands  the  arrange- 
ment in  logical  sequence  of  the  different  steps  in 


232    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEISIENTARY  SCHOOLS 


a  process  may  be  used  in  rui-al  schools  with  great 
interest.  The  following  outline  suggests  subjects  for 
this  type  of  exposition : 

a.  Agriculture :  preparation  of  soil  for,  and  cultivation  of, 
various  ])lants  ;  harvesting,  marketing,  and  preparation  for  use 

as  food  of  grain  crops, 
fruits,  vegetables,  etc. ; 
how  a  plant  gets  moisture 
and  food  from  the  soil ; 
various  processes  con- 
nected with  corn  and 
canning  clubs ;  prepara- 
tion of  food,  clothing, 
and  fuel  for  winter;  fence 
and  road  building,  etc. 

b.  Nature  studij:  how 

a  bird  builds  her  nest  and 

feeds    her   young;    how 

ants    build    homes    and 

I^rovide  for  winter ;  how 

various    plants,    flowers, 

and  shrubs  germinate  and 

grow ;    how  the   ripened 

fruit    evolves    from    the 

bud ;  how  frost,  hail,  and 

snow  form ;  how  clouds, 

mist,  fog,  and  rain  are  produced ;   how  corn,  cotton,  wheat, 

tobacco,  and  other  such  plants  are  cultivated,  harvested,  and 

marketed. 


THE  "  HOWS  "  OF  FARM  ACTIVITIES  ARE 
GOOD  SUBJECTS  FOR  EXPOSITION 


5.  Argument.  A  form  of  language  w^ork  that  is 
suitable  for  use  from  the  fourth  grade  up  is  the 
oral  argument.  This  work  leads  directly  to  that  of 
the  literary  and  debating  society,  which  every  rural 


KURAL  SCHOOLS  238 

school  should  maintain.^    The  following  subjects  are 

suggested  for  use  in  rural  schools : 

Life  in  the  country  is  to  be  preferred  to  life  in  the  city. 
Corn  is  a  more  profitable  crop  than  cotton  (or  wheat,  etc.). 
Birds  are  more  injurious  to  farm  crops  than  insects. 
The  house  fly  is  more  injurious  to  the  human  race  than 
smallpox. 

Strawberries  are  more  profitable  than  the  orchard. 
It  is  more  difficult  to  cultivate  corn  than  wheat. 

6.  Memorizing  Work.  The  memorizing  of  j^oems 
and  gems  should  be  done  in  all  the  grades  as  out- 
lined in  the  section  on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 
In  the  rural  school  selections  should,  for  the  most 
part,  touch  rural-life  activities.  Selections  from  the 
following  list  may  be  made  when  the  teacher  wishes 
to  use  a  poem  of  this  kind : 

Grade  One 

Stevensox,  E.  L.  :  The  Cow. 
Cary,  Alice  :  November. 
Cooper,  George  :  The  Little  Leaves. 
Tenxyson,  Alfred  :  Little  Birdie. 
Watts,  Isaac:  The  Busy  Bee. 
Butts,  M.  F.:  Blow,  Wind,  Blow. 
Allixgham,  William  :  Robin  Redbreast. 
Mother  Goose  rimes. 

Grade  Two 

Tenxysox,  Alfred  :  The  Foresters. 
Shermax,  F,  D.  :  The  Daisies. 
Stevensox,  R.  L.  :  The  Hayloft. 

1  Full  directions  for  the  conduct  of  this  work  are  given  under  this 
heading  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  grades,  in  the  section  on  Language 
Work  by  Grades. 


234    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

CooLiDGE,  SusAx :  How  the  Leaves  Came  Down. 
Allingham,  William  :  Robin  Redbreast. 
RossETTi,  Christina  :  Milking  Time. 
Stevenson,  R.  L.  :  Winter  Time. 

Grades  Three  and  Four 

Wordsworth,  William  :  To  a  Butterfly. 
Tennyson,  Alfred  :  Tlie  Snowdrop ;   The  Owl ;   Song  of 
the  Brook. 

Stedman,  E.  C.  :  The  Flight  of  the  Birds. 
Jackson,  Helen  Hunt  :  September." 
Whittier,  J.  G.  :  The  First  Flowers. 
Lowell,  J.  R.  :  The  First  Snow-Fail. 
Bryant,  W.  C.  :  The  Gladness  of  Nature. 
Longfellow,  H.  W.  :  The  Village  Blacksmith. 
Trowbridge,  J.  T. :  Evening  at  the  Farm. 

Grades  Five  and  Six 

Riley,  J.  W. :  A  Canary  at  the  Farm. 

Whittier,  J.  G.  :  The  Corn  Song ;  The  Huskers. 

Bryant,  W.  C.  :  The  Planting  of  the  Apple  Tree ;  October. 

NoRRis,  G.  P. :  Woodman,  Spare  that  Tree. 

Stedman,  E.  C.  :  Going  A-nutting. 

Wordsworth,  William  :  The  Daffodils. 

Moore,  Thomas  :  The  Bird. 

Emerson,  R.  W.:  The  Humble-bee. 

Kingsley,  Charles  :  Song  of  the  River. 

Dickens,  Charles  :  The  Ivy  Green. 

Keats,  John  :  Ode  to  Autumn. 

Grades  Seven  and  Eight 

Emerson,  R.  W.  :  The  Snow-storm. 

Longfellow,  H.  W.  :    The  Reaper   and   the  Flowers ;  A 
Psalm  of  Life. 

Holmes,  0.  W. :  The  Chambered  Nautilus  ;  The  Last  Leaf. 


EURAL  SCHOOLS 


235 


Bryant,  AV.  C:  A  Forest  Hymn;  The  Death  of  the 
Flowers. 

Burns,  Robert  :  To  a  Mountain  Daisy. 
Moore,  Thomas  :  The  Last  Rose  of  Summer, 
Shelley,  P.  B. :  To  a  Skylark. 

In  the  same  way  each  child  should  learn  from  ten 
to  fifteen  small  gems  of  literature  every  year.  The 
teacher  should  see  that  a  reasonable  number  of  these 


A  HIKE  TO  THE  WOODS   TO  STUDY   WILD  FLOWERS  FOR   OBSER- 
VATION REPORTS  AND  DESCRIPTION 

deal  with  thoughts  connected  with  nature  and  farm 
life.  Selections  may  be  made  from  the  gems  found 
on  pages  265-272.    The  following  are  typical: 

In  contemplation  of  created  things 

By  steps  we  may  ascend  to  God.  —  Milton 

Nature  makes  her  happy  home  with  man 
Where  many  a  gorgeous  flower  is  duly  fed, 
With  its  own  rill,  on  its  own  spangled  bed. 

Coleridge 


236    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

How  blest  the  farmer's  simple  life ! 

How  pure  the  joy  it  yields! 
Far  from  the  world's  tempestuous  strife, 

Free  'mid  the  scented  fields.  —  Everest 

0  happy  if  ye  knew  your  happy  state, 
Ye  rangers  of  the  fields !  whom  nature's  boon 
Cheers  with  her  smiles,  and  ev'ry  element 
Conspires  to  bless.  —  Somerville 

7.  Ohservation  Reports.  This  work  should  be  car- 
ried on  in  all  the  grades  as  outlined  in  the  section 
on  Language  Work  by  Grades.  A  subject  con- 
nected with  nature  or  farm-life  activities  should  be 
assigned  for  observation,  and  two  or  three  days  later 
an  oral  or  a  written  report  should  be  required  from 
each  pupil  in  the  class.  For  children  in  the  rural 
schools  the  number  of  subjects  for  observation  is 
inexhaustible. 

8.  Verse- Writing.  The  principles  and  method  of 
conducting  the  work  of  verse-writing  have  been  dis- 
cussed in  grades  four  to  eight  of  the  section  on 
Language  Work  by  Grades.  The  great  out-of-doors 
surrounding  the  rural  child  is  full  of  poetry,  and  he 
should  be  encouraged  to  give  expression  to  the  feel- 
ings that  nature  arouses  in  him.  Good  subjects  are 
to  be  found  on  every  hand.  The  falling  of  the  leaves, 
the  singing  of  the  birds,  the  cattle  grazing  in  the 
pasture  by  the  brook,  the  trees  swaying  in  the  wind, 
the  snowstorm,  etc.  are  suggestive.  The  teacher 
will  be  agreeably  surprised  at  the  results  of  her 
efforts  along  this  line. 


RURAL  SCHOOLS  237 

9.  Talks  from  Outlines.  In  the  last  two  grades 
pupils  should  be  encouraged  to  give  short  talks, 
before  either  the  language  class  or  the  whole  school, 
from  outlines  on  subjects  of  general  interest  touching 
rural-life  activities.  Such  subjects  as  the  following 
may  be  used  for  this  purpose :  the  value  of  birds  to 
a  comnumity,  how  plants  absorb  moisture  and  food 
from  the  soil,  the  Babcock  milk  test,  testing  cows 
for  tuberculosis,  boys'  corn  clubs  and  what  they  have 
accomplished,  the  death  toll  of  preventable  diseases. 

10.  Diary.  From  the  fifth  grade  up,  children 
should  be  encom^aged  to  keep  a  diary,  or  record,  of 
events  and  observations  about  matters  in  which  they 
are  very  greatly  interested.  The  diaries  of  country 
children  will  include  such  matters  as  observations  of 
weather  conditions,  groM^th  of  plants  in  school  or 
home  experimental  gardens,  various  experiences  con- 
nected with  corn  and  canning  clubs,  record  of  ex- 
penses and  profits  in  raising  poultry,  vegetables,  etc. 
For  methods  of  directing  the  work,  see  the  discussion 
of  this  subject  in  grades  five  to  eight  of  the  section 
on  Language  Work  by  Grades. 

Rural-School  Libeaeies 

In  every  rm-al-school  library  there  should  be  a  col- 
lection of  books  of  reference,  supplementary  readers, 
and  bulletins  issued  bv  state  asTricultural  colleges 
and  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture. 
These  books  and  bulletins  will  be  found  very  useful 


238    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


to  both  teacher  and  pupils  for  the  reading  and  in- 
vestigation demanded  l^y  subjects  that  are  being 
used  in  language  work.    One  or  two  good  reference 

books  on  agricul- 
ture, nature  study, 
and  domestic  sci- 
ence are  usually 
enough  for  prac- 
tical work.  The 
folloAving  lists  are 
given  in  order  that 
school  authorities 
and  the  teachers 
in  rural  schools 
may  be  able  to 
select  from  them 
the  material  that 
best  meets  their 
needs.  The  books 
may  be  ordered 
through  any  book 
jobber,  or  from  the  publishers,  at  a  discount  from 
the  list  price  when  a  large  number  are  purchased  at 
one  time.  As  a  general  thing  books  in  rural-school 
libraries  are  not  carefully  selected.  They  are  often 
either  presented  by  well-meaning  patrons  or  friends 
who  do  not  understand  the  needs  of  such  libraries, 
or  chosen  by  equally  ignorant  teachers.  The  follow- 
ing pages  will  lead  to  a  more  intelligent  choice  if 
teachers  will  use  them  in  making  up  lists  of  books. 


^, 

i. 

—-■■i 

f  *  i  \\  - 

THE  LIBRAKV  IS  AN  IjNIPOKTAKT  ASSET  IN 
RURAL-SCHOOL  LANGUAGE  WORK 


BUKAL  SCHOOLS  239 

I.   BOOKS  OF  REFERENCE 

Note.  In  the  bibliographies  of  this  book,  list  prices  are  given.  They 
are  not  guaranteed  as  correct,  and  responsibility  for  errors  is  specifically 
disclaimed.  While  every  care  has  been  taken  to  avoid  mistakes,  prices 
are  given  merely  as  approximate  guides  to  those  who  have  definite 
amounts  to  spend. 

Agkicultuke 

Eailky,   L.   H.     Plant-Breeding.     The   Macniillan  Company,  Xew 

York.    $1.25. 
Bailey,  L.  H.   Principles  of  Agriculture.   The  Macmillan  Company, 

Xew  York.    §1.25. 
Barto,  D.  O.  Manual  of  Agriculture  for  Secondary  Schools  :  Studies 

in  Soils  and  Crop  Production.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.  50  cents. 
BuRKETT,  Stevens,  and  Hill.    Agriculture  for  Beginners.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    75  cents. 
Davenport,    E.     Domesticated    Animals    and    Plants.     Ginn    and 

Company.   $1.25. 
DuGGAR,  B.  M.    Agriculture  for  Southern  Schools.    The  Macmillan 

Company,  New  York.    75  cents. 
DuGGAR,  B.  M.    Fungous  Diseases  of  Plants.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    $2.00. 
Fisher  and  Cotton.    Agi-iculture  for  Common  Schools.    Charles 

Scribner's  Sons,  New  York.    $1.00. 
GoFF  and  jNIayxe.   First  Principles  of  Agriculture.   American  Book 

Company,  New  York.    80  cents. 
Hemenway,  H.  D.    How  to  Make   School  Gardens.    Doubleday, 

Page  &  Company,  Garden  City,  N.Y.    $1.00. 
Hopkins,  C.  G.    Soil  Fertility  and  Permanent  Agriculture.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    $2.25. 
LoDEMAN,  E.  G.     Spraying  of  Plants.     Tlie  jMacmillan  Comjiany, 

New  York.    $1.25. 
Meier,  W.  H.  D.    School  and  Home  Gardens.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    SO  cents. 
Plumb,   C.   S.     Types   and   Breeds   of    Farm    Animals.     Ginn   and 

Company,  Boston.    $2.00. 
Robinson,  J.  H.    Our  Domestic  Birds.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

$1.35. 


240    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Sargent,  F.  L.  Corn  Plants :  their  Use  and  Ways  of  Life. 
Houghton  Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    75  cents. 

Sheldon,  J.  P.  The  Farm  and  the  Dairy.  The  Macmillan  Com- 
pany, New  York.    $1.00. 

Waters,  H.  J.  The  Essentials  of  Agriculture.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    $1.2.'. 

A\'iLLiAMs,  Dora.  Gardens  and  their  Meaning.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    $1.00. 

Nature  Study 

Bergen  and  Caldwell.   Practical  Botaiiy.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    $1.30. 
Burroughs,  John.    Squirrels  and  Other  Fur-Bearers.    Houghton 

Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    60  cents. 
Crosby,  W.  O.    Common  Minerals  and  Rocks.    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston.    60  cents. 
CuMMiNGS,    H.    H.     Nature    Study   by    Grades.     American    Book 

Company,  New  York.    Primary  grades,  $1.00 ;  lower  grammar 

grades,  60  cents ;  higher  grammar  grades,  75  cents. 
DiCKERSON,  M.   C.    Moths  and  Butterflies.     Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.   $1.25. 
Hawkes,  Clarence.    Tenants  of  the  Trees.    The  Page  Company, 

Boston.   $1.50. 
Hodge,  C.  F.   Nature  Study  and  Life.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

$1.50. 
Jackman,  W.  S.    Nature  Study  for  Grammar  Grades.    The  Mac- 
millan Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 
Long,  W.  J.    Ways  of  AVood  Folk.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

50  cents. 
MoRLEY,  M.  W.    Butterflies  and  Bees.   Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

60  cents. 
Roth,  Filbert.     First    Book    of    Forestry.     Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    75  cents. 
Stickney  and  Hoffmann.  Bird  World.  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

60  cents. 
Weed,  C.  M.    Farm  Friends  and  Farm  Foes.    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston.    90  cents. 


RUKAL  SCHOOLS  241 

Wilson,  L.  L.     Xature  Study  in  Elementary  Schools.     The  Mac- 

millan  Company,  Xew  York.    90  cents. 
Wood,  C.  D.    Animals :  their  Relation  and  Use  to  Man.    (iinn  and 

Company,  Boston.    60  cents. 

Domestic  Science 

Conn,  H.  W.    Bacteria,  Yeasts,  and  Molds  in  the  Home.    Ginn  and 

Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
DoDD,  H.  C.  Healthful  Farmhouse.  Whitcomb  and  Barrows,  Boston. 

60  cents. 
Flagg,  E.  p.    Handbook  of  Home  Economics.    Little,  Brown,  and 

Company,  Boston.    75  cents. 
Greer,  Edith.    Food  —  What  it  Is  and  Does.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    $1.00. 
Hunt,  C.  L.    Home  Problems  from  a  Xew  Standpoint.    Whitcomb 

and  Barrows,  Boston.    $1.00. 
Lincoln,  M.  J.    Boston  School  Kitchen  Text^Book.    Little,  Brown, 

and  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
Richards,  E.  H.    Handbook  of  Domestic  Science  and  Household 

Arts  for  Use  in  Elementary  Schools.    The  ^lacmillan  Company, 

New  York.   $1.00. 
Richards,  E.  H.   Sanitation  in  Daily  Life.   Whitcomb  and  Barrows, 

Boston.    60  cents. 
Sherman,  H.  C.   Chemistry  of  Food  and  Xutrition.    The  Macmillan 

Company,  Xew  York.    $1..50. 
Wardall  and  White.    A  Study  of  Foods.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.   70  cents. 

IL   FARMERS'  BULLETIX'S 

The  following  bulletins,  with  several  exceptions,  noted  in  each  case, 
are  issued  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  and  will 
be  sent  free  on  request.  Letters  should  be  addressed  to  the  Secretary  of 
Agriculture,  Washington,  D.C. 

Corn 

Bulletin  Xo.  199.    Corn  Growing. 

Bulletin  Xo.  229.    The  Production  of  Good  Seed  Corn. 

Bulletin  Xo.  253.    Germination  of  Seed  Corn. 


242    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Biilletiii  No.  272.    A  Successful  Seed  Corn  and  Hog  Farm. 

Bulletin  No.  298.    Food  Value  of  Corn  and  Corn  Products. 

Bulletin  No.  303.    Corn  Harvesting  Machinery. 

Bulletin  No.  313.    Harvesting  and  Storing  Corn. 

Bulletin  No.  409.  School  Lessons  on  Corn.  (Contains  in  appro- 
priate places  in  the  text  a  full  list  of 
books  and  bulletins  on  corn  subjects.) 

Potatoes 

Bulletin  No.  35.    Potato  Culture. 
Bulletin  Nos.  56  and  316.    Potato  Scab." 
Bulletin  No.  91.    Potato  Diseases. 
Bulletin  Nos.  251  and  320.    Potato  Spraying. 
Bulletin  No.  295.    Potatoes  as  Food. 

Poultry 

Bulletin  No.    41.  Fowls,  Care  and  Feeding. 

Bulletin  No.    51.  Standard  Varieties  of  Chickens. 

Bulletin  No.    64.  Ducks  and  Geese. 

Bulletin  No.  141.  Poultry  Raising  on  the  Farm. 

Bulletin  No.  182.  Poultry  as  Food. 

Bulletin  No.  200.  Turkeys,  Varieties  and  Management. 

Bulletin  No.  287.  Poultry  Management. 


Daikyikg  and  the  Daiky  Herd 

Bulletin  No.    32.  Silos  and  Silage. 

Bulletin  No.    42.  Facts  About  Milk. 

Bulletin  No.    55.  The  Dairy  Herd. 

Bulletin  No.    63.  Care  of  Milk  on  the  Farm. 

Bulletin  No.  106.  Breeds  of  Dairy  Cattle. 

Bulletin  No.  114.  Skim  Milk  in  Bread-Making. 

Bulletin  No.  166.  Cheese-Making  on  the  Farm. 

Bulletin  No.  241.  Butter-Making  on  the  Farm. 

Bulletin  No.  348.  Bacteria  in  Milk. 

Bulletin  No.  363.  The  Use  of  Milk  as  Food. 

Bulletin  No.  413.  The  Care  of  Milk  and  its  Use  in  the  Home. 


RURAL  SCHOOLS 


243 


Farm  Animals 

Bulletin  No.    55.    The  Dairy  Herd. 
Bulletin  No.    96.    Raising  Sheep  for  Mutton. 
Bulletin  No.  106.    Breeds  of  Dairy  Cattle. 
Bulletin  No.  159.    Scab  in  Sheep. 
Bulletin  No.  170.    Principles  of  Horse  Feeding. 
Bulletin  No.  179.    Horse  Shoeing. 
Bulletin  No.  205.    Pig  Management. 
Wisconsin  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Madison  : 
Circular  No.  23.    A  Catechism  on  Bovine  Tuberculosis. 


Insects  on  the  Farm 

Three  Insect  Enemies  of  Shade  Trees. 

Insect  Enemies  of  Growing  Wheat. 

The  Usefulness  of  the  American  Toad. 

The  Gypsy  Moth. 

Insect  Enemies  of  the  Grape. 

The  Larger  Corn  Stalk  Borer. 

The  Clover  Root  Borer. 

The  Plum  Curculio. 

The  Grasshopper  Problem. 

The  Colorado  Beetle  (Potato  Bug). 

Mites  and  Lice  on  Poultry. 

Horticulture 

Bulletin  No.    87.  Orchards,  Clover  Crops,  and  Cultivation. 

Bulletin  No.  113.  The  Apple  and  how  to  Grow  it. 

Bulletin  No.  151.  The  Home  Fruit  Garden. 

Bulletin  No.  181.  Pruning. 

Bulletin  No.  198.  Strawberries. 

Bulletin  No.  213.  Raspberries. 

Bulletin  No.  283.  Spraying  for  Apple  Diseases. 

Bulletin  No.  293.  Use  of  Fruit  as  Food. 


Bulletin  No. 

99. 

Bulletin  No. 

132. 

Bulletin  No. 

196, 

Bulletin  No. 

275. 

Bulletin  No. 

281. 

Circular  No. 

16. 

Circular  No. 

67. 

Circular  No. 

73, 

Circular  No. 

81. 

Circular  No. 

87. 

Circular  No. 

92. 

Weeds 

Bulletin  No.    28.    Weeds,  and  how  to  Kill  Them. 
Bulletin  No.    86.    Thirty  Poisonous  Plants. 


■2U    LANGUAGE  ^YORK  IK  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 


"Wisconsin  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  Madison : 
Bulletin  Xo.  179.    The    Eradication    of    Farm    Weeds 

Ii'on  Sulphate. 
Circular  No.    19.    The  Control  of  Quack  Grass. 


with 


School  and  Home  Gardens 


Bulletin  No.  154. 
Bulletin  No.  218. 
Bulletin  No.  2.5.5. 


The  Home  Fruit  Garden. 

School  Gardens. 

The  Home  and  Veg:etable  Garden. 


General    - 

Bulletin  No.    44.  Commercial  Fertilizers. 

Bulletin  No.    85.  Fish  as  Food. 

Bulletin  No.  126.  Practical  Suggestions  for  Farm  Buildings. 

Bulletin  No.  134.  Tree  Planting  on  Rural-School  Grounds. 

Bulletin  No.  256.  Preparation  of  Vegetables  for  the  Table. 

Bulletin  No.  270.  Modern  Conveniences  for  the  Farm  Home. 

Bulletin  No.  317.  The  Farm  Home. 

Bulletin  No.  332.  Nuts  and  their  Uses  as  Food. 

Bulletin  No.  342.  Cooking  Beans  and  Other  Vegetables  —  A 

Model  Kitchen. 

Bulletin  No.  343.  Cultivation    of    Tobacco    in   Kentucky   and 

Tennessee. 

Bulletin  No.  345.  Some  Common  Disinfectants. 

Bulletin  No.  375.  Care  of  Food  in  the  Home. 

Bulletin  No.  389.  Bread  and  Bread-Making. 

Bulletin  No.  459.  House  Flies. 

Bulletin  No.  468.  Forestry  in  Nature  Study. 


in.   SUPPLEMENTARY  READERS 
First  Grade 

Burt,  M.  E.    Little  Nature  Studies  for  Little  People,  Vol.  I.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    25  cents. 
Christy  and  Shaw.    Pathways  in  Nature  and  Literature,  First 

Reader.    American  Book  Company,  New  I'ork.    25  cents. 


RURAL  SCHOOLS  24o 

Dillingham  and  Emerson.    "Tell  It  Again"  Stories.     Ginn  and 

Company,  Boston.    .50  cents. 
Ford,  X.  W.    Nature's  Byways.     Silver,  Burdett  &  Company,  New 

York.    36  cents. 
Kahn,  Amy.     Hours  with   Nature,  Book  One.     Silver,  Burdett  & 

Company,  New  York.    20  cents. 
Lane,  M.  A.  L.    Oriole  Stories  for  Beginners.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.   28  cents. 
Stickney,  J.  H.   Earth  and  Sky,  No.  I.   Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

30  cents. 

Second  Grade 

Burt,  M.  E.    Little  Nature  Studies  for  Little  People,  Yol.  LT.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    25  cents. 
Christy  and  Shaw.   Pathways  in  Nature  and  Literature,  Second 

Reader.    American  Book  ComjDany,  New  York.    30  cents. 
Eddy,  S.  J.    Friends  and   Helpers.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

60  cents. 
Kahn,  Amy.    Hours  with  Nature,  Book  Two.    Silver,  Burdett  & 

Company,  New  Y'ork.   25  cents. 
Stickney,  J.  H.    Earth  and   Sky,  No.  TT.     Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    30  cents. 
Strong,  F.  L.    All  the  Year  Round  Series.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.   4  vols.,  each  30  cents. 
Warren,  M.  L.  From  September  to  June  with  Nature.  D.  C.  Heath 

&  Co.,  Boston.    35  cents. 

Third  Grade 

Andrews,  Jane.   Stories  Mother  Nature  told  her  Children.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    50  cents. 
Bass,  Florence.  Nature  Studies  for  Y'^oung  Readers  :  Animal  Life. 

D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.   35  cents. 
Bradish,  S.  p.    Stories  of  Country  Life.   American  Book  Company, 

New  Y^ork.    40  cents. 
Button,  M.  B.    In  Field  and  Pasture.    American  Book  Company, 

New  York.   85  cents. 
Hardy,  A.  S.   Sea  Stories  for  Wonder  Eyes.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.   40  cents. 


246    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTAKY  SCHOOLS 

MoNTEiTii,  John  and  Caholink.   Some  Useful  Animals.   American 

Book  Comiiany,  New  York.    50  cents. 
Smith,  A.  H.    Four-Footed  Friends.    Ginn  and  Company,  Uoston. 

50  cents. 
Walker,  M.  C.    Our  Birds  and  their  Nestlings.    American   Book 

Company,  New  York.    60  cents. 

Fourth  Gkade 

Baktlett,  L.  L.    Animals  at  Home.    American   Book  Company, 

New.  York.   45  cents. 
Boyle,  M.  P.    Outdoor  Secrets.    A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago. 

35  cents. 
Gould,   A.   W.    Mother   Nature's   Children.     Ginu   and   Comi)any, 

Boston.    60  cents. 
Kelly,  M.  A.  B.    Short  Stories  of  our  Shy  Neighbors.    American 

Book  Company,  New  York.    50  cents. 
Long,  W.  J.    AVood  Folk  at  School.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

50  cents. 
MoHLEY,  M.  W.   In.sect  Folk.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.   45  cents. 
Payne,  F.  O.    Geographical  Nature  Studies.   American  Book  Com- 
pany, New  York.    25  cents. 
Spyri,  Johanna.    Heidi.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    40  cents. 
Stokes,  Susan.    Ten  Common  Trees.    American  Book  Company, 

New  York.   40  cents. 

Fifth  Grade 

Bergen,  F.  D.  Glimpses  at  the  Plant  World.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    40  cents. 

CoMSTOCK,  A.  B.  Ways  of  the  Six-Footed.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    40  cents. 

Eddy,  S.  J.  Friends  and  Helpers.  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 
60  cents. 

Hawkes,  Clarence.  Trail  to  the  Woods.  American  Book  Com- 
pany, New  York.   40  cents. 

JoHONNOT,  James.  Neighbors  with  Wings  and  Fins.  American 
Book  Company,  New  York.   40  cents. 


EUEAL  kSCHOOLS  247 

Long,  W.  J.   A  Little  Brothei*  to  the  Bear  and  Other  Stories.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    50  cents. 
MoRLEY,  M.  W.    Little  Wanderers.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

30  cents. 
JMiLLKK,  Margaret.     My  Saturday  Bird  Class.     I).  C.   Heath  & 

Co.,  Boston.    2.5  cents. 
Spyri,  Johanna.   Moni  the  Goat  Boy.   (iinn  and  Company,  Boston. 

40  cents. 
Stickney,  J.   H.    Earth  and   Sky,  Xo.  IIL    Ginn  and   Company, 

Boston.    35  cents. 

Sixth  Grade 

Beal,  W.  J.  Seed  Dispersal.  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.  35  cents. 
EcKSTROM,  Fannie.  Bird  Book.  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.  60  cents. 
GiLMORE,  A.  F.   Birds  through  the  Year.   American  Book  Company, 

New  York.    50  cents. 
Hawkes,    Clarence.     Little   Water  Folks.     Thomas   Y.   Crowell 

Company,  New  York.    75  cents. 
JoHONNOT,  James.    Some  Curious  Flyers,  Creepers,  and  Swimmers. 

American  Book  Company,  New  York.    40  cents. 
Long,  W.  J.    Secrets  of  the  Woods.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

50  cents. 
Morris,  L  I).    Travels  of  a  Waterdrop,  and  Others.    A.  Flanagan 

Company,  Chicago.    35  cents. 
Neediiam,  J.  G.    Outdoor  Studies.    American  Book  Conii:)any,  New 

York.    40  cents. 
Wyss,  J.  D.    Swiss  Family  Boliinson.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

45  cents. 

Seaenth  and  Eighth  Ctrades 

Atkinson,  G.  F.  First  Studies  of  Plant  Life.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    00  cents. 

Ball,  R.  S.    Star-Land.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 

Baskett,  J.  N.  Story  of  the  Birds.  D.  Appleton  and  Company, 
New  York.    65  cents. 

Carpenter,  F.  G.  How  the  World  is  Fed.  American  Book  Com- 
pany, New  York.    00  cents. 


248    LANGUAGE  AVORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Hehrick,  S.  M.   Chapters  ou  Plant  Life.   American  Book  Company, 

New  York.    60  cents. 
Keffer,  C.  a.    Nature  Studies  on  the  Farm  :    Soils  and  Plants. 

American  Book  Company,  New  Y'^ork.    40  cents. 
Long,  W.  J.   Northern  Trails,  Books  I  and  IT.   Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    45  cents  each. 
Newell,  J.  H.    Reader  in  Botany.    Part  I,  From  Seed  to  Leaf ; 

Part  II,  Flower  and  Fruit.   Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.   60  cents 

each. 
Stone  and  Fickett.    Trees  in  Prose  and  Poetry.    Ginn  and  Com- 
pany, Boston.    45  cents. 
Treat,  Mary.  Home  Studies  in  Nature.  American  Book  Company, 

New  York.    90  cents. 


APPENDIX  A 

GENERAL  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Note.  In  the  bibliographies  of  this  book  list  prices  are  given.  They 
are  not  guaranteed  as  correct,  and  responsibility  for  errors  is  specifically 
disclaimed.  While  every  care  has  been  taken  to  avoid  mistakes,  prices 
are  given  merely  as  approximate  guides  to  those  who  have  definite 
amounts  to  spend. 

The  books  in  the  fonowing  lists  discuss  the  principles 
underlying  the  various  kinds  of  language  work  outlined  in 
the  body  of  this  book. 

GENERAL 

Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.  The  Teaching  of  English.  Long- 
mans, Green,  &  Co.,  New  York.   $1.50. 

Chubb,  Percival.  The  Teaching  of  English  in  the  Elementary 
and  the  Secondary  School.  The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York. 
$1.00. 

Fitch,  J.  G.  Lectures  on  Teaching  (chapters  on  English).  The 
jVEacmillan  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

George,  A.  J.  Hudson's  "Essays  on  English  Studies  "  (pp.  19-52). 
Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    75  cents. 

Gesell,  a.  L.  The  Normal  Child  and  Primary  Education  (pp.  159- 
180).    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    $1.25. 

Hinsdale,  B.  A.  Teaching  the  Language-Arts.  D.  Appleton  and 
Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

Hosic,  J.  F.  The  Elementary  Course  in  English.  The  University 
of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 

KiTTREDGE  and  Arnold.  The  Mother  Tongue,  Book  H  (introduc- 
tion).   Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    60  cents. 

Laurie,  S.  S.  Lectures  on  Language,  and  Linguistic  Method  in  the 
School.    The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

249 


250    LA.NdUAGE  WOKK  IN  P:LE.MEXTARY  SCHOOLS 

Lincoln,  L.  I.    Everyday  Pedagogy.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

$1.00. 
McClintock,  p.   L.     Literature  in  the   Elementary  School.     Tlie 

University  of  Chicago  Press.    $1.00. 
McMuRRY,  C.  A.   Special  Method  in  Language  in  the  Eight  Grades. 

The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York.    70  cents. 
Metcalf,  R.  C.     Language  Work  in  Elementary  Schools.     The 

A.  S.  Barnes  Company,  New  York.    1.)  cents. 
O'Shea,  M.  V.    Linguistic  Development  and  Education.    The  Mac- 
millan Company,  New  York.    $1.25. 
Parker,  F,  W.,  assisted  by  teachers  of  Cook  County  Normal  School. 

Suggestions  for  Teaching  Language.     A.  Flanagan   Company, 

Chicago.     15  cents. 
Perdue   and    Griswold.    Language   through    Nature,    Literature, 

and  Art.  Rand-McNally  &  Company,  New  York.  45  cents. 
Indianapolis  Course  of  Study  in  English  for  Elementary  Schools. 
Wisconsin    Course    of    Study    for    Common    Schools.    Sections   on 

Language. 

STORY-TELLING 

Allison  and  Perdue.  The  Place  of  the  Story  in  Primary  Educa- 
tion.   A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago.    60  cents. 

Bryant,  S.  C.  How  to  Tell  Stories  to  Children.  Houghton  Mifflin 
Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 

Bryant,  S.  C.  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children  (introduction).  Houghton 
Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 

Chubb,  Percival.  The  Teaching  of  English  in  the  Elementary 
and  the  Secondary  School  (pp.  43-46,  88,  186-187).  The  Mac- 
millan Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

Cody,  A.  S.  Story  Composition.  A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago. 
15  cents. 

Dye,  Charity.  The  Story-Teller's  Art.  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 
50  cents. 

Earhart,  L.  B.  The  Story  in  the  Primary  Grades.  Teachers 
College  Record,  March,  1907.    35  cents  per  copy. 

McClintock,  P.  L.  Literature  in  the  Elementary  School  (chaps,  iv- 
xi).    The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    $1.00. 

Partridge,  E.  N.  and  G.  E.  Story-Telling  in  School  and  Home. 
Sturgis  &  Walton  Company,  New  York.    $1.25. 


APPENDIX  A  251 

.Spalding,  Elizabkth.    The  Problem  of  Elemeutary  Composition 

(chap.  iii).    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.   40  cents. 
WiGGiN  and  .Smith.    The  Story  Hour  (introduction).     Houghton 

Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    |1.00. 
WiLTSE,  S.  E.    The  Story  in  Early  Education.    Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.   50  cents. 
Wyche,  R.  T.    Some  Great  Stories  and  how  to  Tell  them.    Newson 

&  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

MEMORIZING 

Bjjiggs  and  Coffman.    Reading  in  Public  Schools  (pp.  128-139, 

256-259).   Row,  Peterson  &  Company,  Chicago.   $1.25. 
Chubb,  Percival.    The  Teaching  of  English  in  the  Elementary 

and  the  Secondary  School  (pp.  48-53).    The  Macmillan  Company, 

New  York.    $1.00. 
CoMPAYRE,  J.  G.    Lectures  on  Pedagogy  (Payne)   (pp.  131,  447). 

D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.    $1.75. 
Hosic,  J.  F.    The  Elementary  Course  in  English  (pp.  21,  46,  65,  76, 

99).    The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 
McClintock,  p.  L.    Literature  in  the  Elementary  School  (chap,  xii). 

The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    $1.00. 
McMuRRY,  C.  A.   Course  of  Study  in  the  Eight  (irades  (pp.  90-105). 

The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York.    75  cents. 

DRAMATIZATION 

Barxum,  M.  D.  Dramatic  Instinct  in  the  Elementary  School, 
Teachers  College  Record,  ISIarch,  1907.    35  cents  per  copy. 

Bliss,  W.  F.  History  in  the  Elementary  Schools  (pp.  21-22,  34, 177- 
193).    American  Book  Comjiany,  New  York.    80  cents. 

Briggs  and  Coffman.  Reading  in  Public  Schools  (pp.  92-104, 
233-255).    Row,  Peterson  &  Companj-,  Chicago.    $1.25. 

Bryant,  S.  C.  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children  (pp.  xxxvii-xli).  Hough- 
ton Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 

Chubb,  Percival.  Festivals  and  Plays  (pp.  271-305).  Harj^er  & 
Brothers,  New  York.   $2.00. 

F1NLAY-.T0HNSON,  Harriet.  The  Dramatic  Method  of  Teaching. 
Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    §1.00. 


252    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Gesell,  a.  L.   The  Normal  Child  and  rriuiary  Education  (pp.  144- 

158).    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.   $1.2.5. 
Gilbert  and  Harris.  Manual  to  Guide  Books  to  English  (pp.  35- 

;39).     Silver,    Burdett   &    Company,    New   York.     Sent   free   to 

teachers  with  the  Guide  Books. 
Hosic,  J.  F.    The  Elementary  Course  in  English  (pp.  21,  G4,  74, 

90).    The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 
Lincoln,  L.  L    Everyday  Pedagogy  (pp.  169,  170,  192).    Ginn  and 

Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
McClintock,  p.  L.   Literature  in  the  Elementary  School  (chap.  xiii). 

The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    $1.00. 
Indianapolis  Course  of  Study  in  English  (1904)  (pp.  25-26). 

COMPOSITION  WORK 
Oral 

Arnold,  S.  L.    Brief  Outline  of  a  Course  of  Study  in  Language 

and  Grammar.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    10  cents. 
Briogs  and  McKinney.    A  First  Book  of  Composition.    Ginn  and 

Company,  Boston.    90  cents. 
Bryant,  S.  C.  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children  (pp.  xxix-xlvii).  Houghton 

Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
CiiUBB,  Percival.    The  Teaching  of  English  in  the  Elementary 

and  the  Secondary  School   (chap.  viii).    The  Macmillan  C^oni- 

pany.  New  York.    $1.00. 
Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.   The  Teaching  of  English  (pp.  127, 

244-249).    Longmans,  Green,  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
IIosic,  J.  F.    The  Elementary  Course  in  English  (pp.  18-22).    The 

University  of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 
McMurry,  C.  a.    Special  Method  in  Primary  Reading  and  Oi-al 

AVork,   with    Stories.     The    Macmillan    Comjaany,    New    York. 

60  cents. 
Sweet,    Henry.      A   Practical    Study  of    Languages    (chap.   vii). 

Henry  Holt  and  Company,  New  York.    $1.50. 


APPENDIX  A  253 

Wkitten 

Baldwin,  C.  S.  The  Expository  Paragraph  aud  Seuteuce.  Long- 
mans, Greeu,  &  Co.,  New  York.    50  cents. 

Batks,  Arlo.  Talks  on  Writing  English.  Houghton  IVIifflin  Com- 
pany, Boston.    2  vols.,  each  f  1.30. 

Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.  The  Teaching  of  English 
(pp.  121-144,  327-341).  Longmans,  Green,  &  Co.,  Xew  York. 
$1.50. 

Chubb,  Percival.  The  Teaching  of  English  (chaps,  viii  and  xi). 
The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

Clapp  and  Huston.  The  Conduct  of  Composition  Work  in  Gram- 
mar Grades.    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.    15  cents. 

Hanson,  C.  L.  Two  Years'  Course  in  English  Composition.  Giun 
and  Company,  Boston.    90  cents. 

Hartog  and  Lang  don.  The  Writing  of  English.  Oxford  L^ui- 
versity  Press,  New  York.    60  cents. 

Hinsdale,  B.  A.  Teaching  the  Language-Arts  (chap.  xiv). 
D.  Appleton  and  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 

Lincoln,  I.  L.  Everyday  Pedagogy  (pp.  147,  148,  154).  Ginu  and 
Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 

Spalding,  Elizabeth.  The  Problem  of  Elementary  Composition. 
D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.    40  cents. 

Wooley,  E.  C.  Handbook  of  Composition.  1).  C.  Heath  &  Co., 
Boston.    80  cents. 

LETTER-WRITING 

Callaway,  F.  B.    Studies  for  Letters.    American  Book  Company, 

New  York.    50  cents. 
Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.   The  Teaching  of  English  (p.  127). 

Longmans,  Green,  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Chubb,  Percival.    The  Teaching  of  English  (pp.  185,  226,  229- 

230).    The  Macmillan  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 
Davis  and  Lingham.    Business  English  and  Correspondence.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.  $1.00. 
Dye,  Charity.     Letters  and  Letter-Writing.     The  Bobbs-INIerrill 

Company,  Indiana^jolis.    $1.00. 


254    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Hosic,  J.  F.  The  Eleuientary  Course  in  English  (pp.  22,  82,  90, 
98,  10(3).    The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 

Spaldinc;,  Elizabeth.  The  Problem  of  Elementary  Composition 
(chap.  ii).    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.    40  cents. 

TEACHING  OF  ENGLISH  GRAMMAR 

Arnold,  S.  L.    Brief  Outline  of  a  Course  of  Study  in  Language 

and  Grammar.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    10  cents. 
Barbour,  F.  A.    The  Teaching  of  English  Grammar.    Ginn  and 

Company,  Boston.    30  cents. 
Buck,    Gertrude.     Make-Believe    Grammar,    The    ScJiool   Review, 

January,  1909.    Sent  free  iu  pamphlet  form  l)y  Scott,  Foresman 

&  Co.,  Chicago. 
Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.  The  Teaching  of  English  (pp.  144- 

1.51,  191-214).    Longmans,  Green,  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Chubb,  Percival.   The  Teaching  of  English  (pp.  20.3-205).   The 

Macmillan  Comimny,  New  York.    $1.00. 
Hinsdale,    B.    A.     Teaching    the    Language-Arts    (pp.    147-168). 

I).  Appleton  and  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 
IIosic,  J.  F.    The  Elementary  Course  in  English  (pp.  30-31,  114, 

122).    The  University  of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 
HoYT,  F.  S.    The  Place  of  Grammar  in  tlie  Elementary  Curriculum, 

Teachers  Collerje  Record,  November,  1906.    35  cents  i)er  copy. 
Gesell,  a.  L.   The  Normal  Child  and  Primary  Education  (pp.  172- 

180).    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    $1.25. 
Leonard,  M.  H.    Grammar  and  its  Reasons.    A.  S.  Barnes  Com- 
pany, New  York.    $1.50. 
Lincoln,    L.    L     Everyday    Pedagogy    ([)p.   148-150).     (iinn    and 

Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
LouNSBURY,   T.   R.     History  of   the    English    Language,    Part  II 

(Pl..  209-481).    Henry  Holt  and  Company,  New  York.    $1.25. 
Siiefkield,  a.   D.     Rational   Study   of   English   Grammar,   School 

Review,  November,  1910. 
Sweet,  Henry.    A  Practical  Study  of  Languages  (chaji.  xi).   Henry 

Holt  and  Company,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Indianapolis    Course    of     Study    in    English     (1904)    (pp.    78-79, 

8.3-8.5). 


APPEXDIX  A  265 

AVOllD  STUDY 

Anderson,  J.  iVI.     A  Study  of   Euglisli   Words.     Anierii-an   Book 

Company,  Cincinnati.    40  cents. 
Cody,    A.    S.     Word-Study   for    Schools.     A.    C.    McClurg    &    Co., 

Chicago.    35  cents. 
Okxung    and    Hanson.     Outlines    of    Composition    and    Rhetoric 

(chaps,  iv  and  v).     Ginu  and  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
Greenougii  and  Kittredgk.    Words  and  their  Ways  in  English 

Speech.    The  ]Macmillan  Company,  Xew  York.    $1.10. 
LocKWOOD  and  Emerson.    Composition  and  Rlietoric  (chaj).  xv). 

Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
Nesfxeld,  J.  C.    English  Grammar —  Tast  and  Present  (chaps,  xxii- 

xxxii).    The  Macmillan  Company,  Xew  York.    $1.10. 
Skeat,  W.  ay.    The  Principles  of  Etymology  (chaps,  xii-xv  espe- 
cially).   Oxford  University  Press,  New  York.    $2.2.'). 
Spalding,  Elizabeth.    The  Problem  of  Elementary  Composition 

(chap.  iv).    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.    40  cents. 
SwiNTON,   Wm.    New   Word-Analysis.     American    Book   Company, 

New  Yoi-k.    .3.5  cents. 
White,  R.  G.    AYords  and  their  Uses,  Past  and  Present.    Houghton 

MitHiu  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 

VERSE-WRITING 

Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.   The  Teaching  of  English  (p.  240). 

Longmans,  Green,  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Chubb,  Percival.    The  Teaching  of  English  (pp.  1S8-189).    The 

Macmillan  Company,  New  York.    $1.00. 
Spaldin<;,  Elizabeth.    The  Problem  of  Elementary  Composition 

(pp.  1-2).    1).  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  Boston.    40  cents. 

USE  OF  DICTIONARY 

Briggs   and  Coffman.     Reading  in  Public   Schools  (chaj).  xvii). 

Row,  Peterson  &  Company,  Chicago.    $1.25. 
Carpenter,  Baker,  and  Scott.   The  Teaching  of  English  (pp.  297" 

298).    Longmans,  Green,  &  Co.,  New  York.    $1.50. 
Hosic,  J.  F.    The  Elementary  Course  in  English  (pp.  29,  ;}9,  99 

107).    The  University  of  Chicago  IVess.    75  cents. 


256    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Lincoln,  L.  I.    Everyday  Pedagogy  (chap.  xi).   Ginn  and  Company, 

Boston.    fl.OO. 
Metcalk  and  De  Garmo.    Drill  Book  in  Dictionary  Work.    A.  C. 

McCiui'g  &  Co.,  Chicago.    85  cents. 
Sweet,  Henry.  A  Practical  Study  of  Languages  (chap.  xii).   Henry 

Holt  and  Company,  New  York.    $1.50. 

DIARY 

(tilbert  and  Harris.  Guide  Books  to  English  (Book  One,  pp.  16i- 
107;  Book  Two,  pp.  102-103).  Silver,  Burdett  &  Company, 
New  York.    45  cents  and  60  cents  respectively. 

Hosrc,  J.  F.  The  Elementary  Course  in  English  (p.  I0<j).  The 
University  of  Chicago  Press.    75  cents. 

LANGUAGE-WORK  MATERIAL 

Below,  the  teacher  Avill  liud  various  sources  from  which  she 
may  draw  classroom  material  for  her  language  work  in  the 
various  grades.  The  preceding  lists  give  books  that  discuss 
principles  and  theory  only. 

DESK  WORK 

AVord  cards,  letter  cards,  phonetic  word-building  cards,  pictures, 
picture  story  cards,  stencils  for  illustrating  written  work,  and  other 
such  material  for  language  desk  work  in  the  lower  grades,  may  be 
obtained  from  A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago ;  Thomas  Charles 
Company,  Chicago ;  Milton  Bradley  Company,  Springfield,  Mass. ;  or 
any  other  school-supply  hoixse.  Every  primary  teacher  should  have 
the  catalogue  of  at  least  one  of  these  companies.  The  best  letter 
cards  have  capitals  on  one  side  and  small  letters  on  the  other. 

LANGUAGE  GAMES 
Deming,  a.  G.    Language  Games  for  all  the  Grades.    Beckley  Cardy 

Company,  Chicago.    40  cents. 
King,  Myra.    Language  Games.    Educational  Publishing  Company, 

Boston.    50  cents. 
Metcalf,  G.  S.    Game  of  False  Syntax.    A.  Flanagan  Company, 

Chicago.    20  cents. 


APPENDIX  A  257 

DRAMATIZATION 

Children  should,  under  the  direction  of  the  teacher,  prepare 
or  adapt  most  of  the  plays  presented,  but  if  plays  in  finished 
form  are  desired  for  immediate  use,  the  following  books  will 
afford  excellent  material. 

Primary  Grades 

Cyr,  E.  ]\f.    Dramatic  First  Reader,    (iiun  and  Company,  Boston. 

30  cents. 
Gardns:r,  Mary.    Work  that  is  Play.    A  dramatic  reader  based  on 

^sop's  fables.    A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago.    35  cents. 
Hemphill,  Eloise.     Little   Red    Riding   Hood.     A   musical  play. 

The  A.  S.  Barnes  Company,  New  York.    15  cents. 
Holbrook,  Florence.    Dramatizations  of  Longfellow's  Evangeline 

and  Hiawatha.    Houghton  Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    15  cents 

each. 
Johnson  and  Barnum.    Book  of  Plays  for  Little  Actors.    American 

Book  Company,  New  York.    30  cents. 
Noyes  and  Ray.    Little  Plays  for  Little  People.    Giun  and  Com- 
pany, Boston.    35  cents. 
Skinner    and    Lawrence.    Little    Dramas   for    Primary    Grades. 

American  Book  Company,  New  York.    35  cents. 

Intermediate  Grades 

Andrews,  Jane.  Geographical  Plays.  Ginu  and  Company,  Boston. 
50  cents. 

Bird  and  Starling.  Historical  Plays.  The  i\biomill:iu  Company, 
New  York.   40  cents. 

Holbrook,  Florence.  Dramatic  Reader  for  Lower  Grades.  Amer- 
ican Book  Company,  New  York.    40  cents. 

Holiday  Dialogues  from  Dickens.  Walter  H.  Baker  and  Company, 
Boston.    25  cents. 

Lansing,  M.  F.  Quaint  Old  Stories  to  Read  and  Act.  Giiin  and 
Company,  Boston.    35  cents. 


258    LA>sGUAGE  ^YOPvK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Gkammar  Grades 

CoMSTocK,  F.  A  Dickens  Dramatic  Reader.  Ginu  and  Company, 
Boston.    60  cents. 

CoMSTOCK,  F.  Dramatic  Version  of  Greek  Myths.  Ginu  and  Com- 
pany, Boston.    4.5  cents. 

Gould,  E.  L.  Little  Men ;  Little  Women.  Plays  adapted  from 
Louisa  M.  Alcott's  stories.  Little,  Brown  and  Company,  Boston. 
60  cents  each. 

Knight,  Marietta.  Dramatic  Reader  for  Grammar  Grades.  Amer- 
ican Book  Company,  New  York.    50  cents. 

Laselle,  M»  a.  Dramati^atioDS  of  School  Classics.  Educational 
Publishing  Company,  Boston.   40  cents. 

Longfellow,  H.  AY.  The  Courtship  of  Miles  Standisli.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    15  cents. 

STORY-TELLING 

The  following  is  a  carefully  selected  list  of  books  from 
which  the  teacher  may  choose  stories  for  her  work : 

Bryant,  S.  C.  Stories  to  Tell  to  Children.  Houghton  Mifflin  Com- 
pany, Boston.    $1.00. 

Long,  W.  J.  Secrets  of  the  Woods.  Ginu  and  Company,  Boston. 
50  cents. 

ScuDDKK,  H.  E.  Fables,  Folk  Stories,  and  Legends.  Houghton 
Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    60  cents. 

Wiltse,  S.  E.  Kindergarten  Stories  and  ]\Ioruing  Talks.  Ginn  and 
Company,  Boston.    75  cents. 

Wyche,  R.  T.  Some  Great  Stories  and  how  to  Tell  them.  Xewson 
&  Company,  New  Y^ork.   $1.00. 

Every  school  library  should  have  a  few  well-selected  Ijooks 
of  stories  for  the  children  to  read  at  their  leisure.  The  follow- 
ing are  suggested  for  this  purpose  : 

Primary  Grades 

Beckwith,  M.    H.    Story-Telling   with    Scissors.    Milton   Bradley 

Company,  Springfield,  i\Iass.    30  cents. 
Iaiimer,  F.  Y.    Xature  Myths  of  Many  Lands.    American  Book 

Company,  Xew  Y''ork.   45  cents. 


APPENDIX  A  259 

Holmes,  M.  J.    ^Esop's   Fables.     The   Macuiilluu  Cuiupauy,  Xew 

York.    25  cents. 
Lansing,  M.  F.    Fairy  Tales.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    2  vols., 

each  35  cents. 
Lansing,  M.  F.    Rhymes  and  Stories.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 

35  cents. 
Stickney,  J.   H.     Andersen's  Fairy  Tales.     Ginn    and   Company, 

Boston.    2  vols.,  40  cents  and  45  cents,  respectively. 
Wiley,   Belle.    The  Mother  Goose   Primer.    Charles   E.   Merrill 

Company,  New  York.   32  cents. 
WiLTSE,  S.  E.    Grimm's  Fairy  Tales.    Ginn  and  Company.  Boston. 

2  vols.,  each  35  cents. 

IXTEKMEDIATE    GrADES 

Baldwin,  James.  Robinson  Crusoe  Retold.  American  Book  Com- 
pany, New  York.    35  cents. 

Blaisdell  and  Ball.  Hero  Stories  from  American  History.  Ginn 
and  Company,  Boston.    50  cents. 

Eggleston,  Edward.  Stories  of  Great  Americans.  American  Book 
Company,  New  York.    40  cents. 

GuERBER,  H.  A.  Story  of  the  Thirteen  Colonies.  American  Book 
Company,  New  York.    65  cents. 

Hale,  E.  E.  Arabian  Nights.   Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.  45  cents. 

Kingsley,  Charles.  Greek  Heroes.  Henry  Altemus  Comjiany, 
Philadelphia.    30  cents. 

Kipling,  Rudyard.  The  Jungle  Book.  The  Century  Co.,  New 
York.    $1.50. 

Perry,  AY.  C.  The  Boj's'  Odyssey.  Tlie  Macmillan  Company,  New 
York.    $1.50. 

ScuDDER,  H.  E.  George  Washing-ton.  Houghton  ^lifflin  Company, 
Boston.   40  cents. 

Stickney,  J.  H.  Kingsley's  Water-Babies.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    35  cents. 

Stickney,  J.  H.  Wyss's  Swiss  Family  Robinson,  (iiun  and  Com- 
pany, Boston.    45  cents. 


260    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Grammar  Grades 

Baldwin,  James.  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  American  Book  Com- 
pany', New  York.    60  cents. 

liKNDEK,  M.  S.  Great  Opera  Stories.  The  Macmillan  Company, 
New  York.    40  cents. 

Catherwood,  M.  H.  Heroes  of  the  Middle  West.  Ginn  and  Com- 
pany, Boston.    50  cents. 

Clarke,  Michael.  Story  of  ^Eneas.  American  Book  Company, 
New  York.    45  cents. 

Coe,  F.  E.  Heroes  of  Everyday  Life.  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 
40  cents. 

(Greene,  F.  N.  Legends  of  King  Arthur  and  his  Court.  Ginn  and 
Company,  Boston.    50  cents. 

GuERBER,  H.  A.  Story  of  the  Romans.  American  Book  Company, 
New  York.    60  cents. 

Haight,  Margaret.  Cooper's  Deerslayer.  American  Book  Com- 
pany, New  York.    35  cents. 

Lansing,  M.  F.  Page,  Esquire,  and  Knight,  (iinn  and  Company, 
Boston.    35  cents. 

Montgomery,  D.  H.  Benjamin  Franklin;  his  Life.  Ginn  and 
Company,  Boston.    40  cents. 

RoLFE,  W.  J.  Lamb's  Tales  from  Shakespeare.  American  Book 
Company,  New  York.    60  cents. 

RoLFE,  W.  J.  Tales  from  English  History.  American  Book  Com- 
pany, New  York.    60  cents. 

Tappan,  E-s'A  M.  European  Hero  Stories.  Houghton  Mifflin  Corn- 
Company,  Boston.    65  cents. 

MEMORIZING 

Sufficient  material  for  memorizing  in  the  eight  grades  is 
given   in  Appendix    B.     The  following   books  contain  well- 
graded  additional  material : 
Blake  and  Alexander.    Graded  Poetry,    Charles  E.  Merrill  Com- 

panj,  New  York.    One  volume  for  each  grade,  each  20  cents. 
Crowninshield,    Ethel.      Mother    Goose    Songs ;    Robert   Louis 

Stevenson  Songs.    Milton  Bradley  Company,  Springfield,  Mass. 

Each  30  cents. 


APPENDIX  A  261 

Gilbert  and  IIakkis.  Poems  by  Grades.  Book  I,  Primary;  Book 
II,  Intermediate  and  Grammar.  Charles  Scribner's  Sons,  New 
York.    60  cents  each. 

Hyde,  W.  D.  The  School  Speaker  and  Reader.  Ginn  and  Company, 
Boston.    80  cents. 

Lambert,  W.  H.  Memory  Gems  in  Prose  and  Yerse.  Ginn  and 
Company,  Boston.    30  cents. 

Lansing,  M.  F.  Rhymes  and  Stories.  Ginn  and  Company,  Boston. 
35  cents. 

Skinner,  A.  W.  Selections  for  Memorizing.  Silver,  Burdett  &  Com- 
pany, New  York.    60  cents. 

Williams  and  Foster.  Selections  for  Memorizing.  Ginn  and 
Company,  Boston.    -40  cents. 

For  the  lower  grades  the  following  are  excellent : 
LovEjOY,  M.  I.    Nature  in  Verse.    Silver,  Burdett  &  Company,  New 

York.    60  cents. 
Sherman,  F.  D.    Little-Folk  Lyrics.    Houghton  Mifflin  Company, 

Boston.   60  cents. 
Stevenson,  R.  L.    A  Child's  Garden  of  Verse.    Charles  Scribner's 

Sons,  New  York.    40  cents. 
Welsh,  Charles.  Book  of  Nursery  Rhymes.    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston.   35  cents. 
Whittier,  J.   G.     Child  Life :    Collection  of  Poems.     Houghton 

Mifflin  Company,  Boston.    60  cents. 
WiGGiN  and  Smith.    Pinafore  Palace.   Doubleday,  Page  &  Company, 

Garden  City,  New  York.     $1.50. 

MEMORY  GEMS 

Chancellor,  Mary.  Primary  Memory  Gems.  A.  Flanagan  Com- 
pany, Chicago.    10  cents. 

De  Vere,  Paul.  Gems  of  Literature,  Liberty,  and  Patriotism. 
A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago.    60  cents.    Grades  5-8. 

Johnson,  L.  E.  Memory  Gems  for  Home  and  School.  A.  Flanagan 
Company,  Chicago.    10  cents. 

Keitges,  John.  Proverbs  and  Quotations  for  School  and  Home. 
A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago.    35  cents.    Grades  5-8. 

Lambert,  W.  H.  Memory  Gems  in  Prose  and  Verse.  Ginn  and 
Company,  Boston.   30  cents.   Grades  1-12. 


262    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELEMENTAEY  SCHOOLS 

Skinnkh,  A.  W.  Selections  for  Memoriziug.  Silver,  Burdett  & 
Company,  New  York.    60  cents.    For  all  grades. 

WooLEVER,  Adam.  Encyclopedia  of  Quotations.  David  McKay, 
Philadelphia.    $1.50. 

DICTATION  WORK 

Cronsox,    Bernaho.      Craded    Dictation    and    Spelling    Lessons. 

American   Book  Company,    Xew  York.     Small   ]tam]>hlets,   two 

to  each  grade,  5  cents  each. 
Patterson.  Cal\ix.    The  American  Word  Book.    American  Book 

Company.  New  York.   25  cents.   Dictation  material  for  all  grades. 
Penni.man,  J.  H.    Prose  Dictation  Exercise.    D.  C.  Heath  &  Co., 

Boston.    25  cents.    For  npper  grades. 

LETTER-WRITING 
Callaway,  F.  B.    Studies  for  Letters.    American  Book  Company, 

New  York.    50  cents. 
Davis  and  Lingham.    Business  English  and  Correspondence.    Ginn 

and  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
Dye,   Charity.     Letters    and  Letter-A\'riting.     The   Bobbs-Merrill 

Company,  Indianapolis.    $1.00. 
GENrx(;   and    Hanson.     Outlines    of    Composition    and    Rhetoric, 

(iinn  and  Company,  Boston.    $1.00. 
Stevens,  F.  B.    Graded  Lessons  in  Letter  "Writing  and  Business 

Forms.    Ginn  and  Company,  Boston.    Three  books,  15  cents  each. 

USE  OF  DICTIONARY 

Briggs   and  Coffman.     Reading  in   Public   Schools  (chap.  xvii). 

Row,  Peterson  &  Co.,  Chicago.    $1.25. 
Metcalf  and  De  Garmo.    Drill  Book  in  Dictionary  Work.    A.  C. 

McClurg  &  Co.,  Chicago.    35  cents. 
Wisconsin  Course  of  Study  for  Common  Schools.   Outlines  by  grades, 

from  fourth  grade  up. 

STANDARDS  OF  MEASUREMENT 
It  is  essential  that  teachers  should  from  time  to  time  test 
the  progress  the  children  are  making  in  mastering  and  using 
correctly  the  language  principles  they  are  being  taught.    For 


APPENDIX  A  263 

this  })urpose  tlie  author  wishes  to  recoiumend  some  such  sys- 
tem as  Thompson's  ''Minimum  Essentials  in  Language"*  (Ginn 
and  Company,  Boston.  25  cents  per  100  sheets).  Each  sheet 
contains  from  100  to  200  questions,  which  were  selected,  graded, 
and  tabulated  after  several  years'  experiment. 

PICTLRES 

Pictures  may  be  used  in  conversation,  observation,  memo- 
rizing, story-telling,  and  description.  They  may  be  purchased 
at  from  one  to  ten  cents,  according  to  the  size,  from  Perry 
Picture  Co.,  ^Maiden,  ]\rass. :  Thomas  Charles  Company,  Chicago: 
A.  Flanagan  Company,  Chicago;  Milton  Bradley  Company, 
Springfield,  ]Mass. :  or  any  other  supply  house.  The  following 
is  a  suggestive  graded  list. 

Primary  Grades 

BoNHEi'H,  Rosa.  Ploughing;  Family  Cares:  An  Humble  Servant; 
Flock  of  Sheep ;  Lions  at  Home. 

Laxdseer,  Edwin.  My  Dog;  Saved;  Shoeing  the  Bay  ^lare ;  Dis- 
tinguished Member  of  the  Humane  Society :  The  Challenge. 

Millet,  J.  F.  Feeding  Her  Birds;  The  Churning  ;  The  First  Step; 
The  Gleaners. 

Adam,  Jean.    The  Cat  Family. 

Mauve,  Axtox.    The  Sheep. 

DiPRE,  Jules.    The  Escaped  Cow. 

J.\CQUE,  C  E.    Feeding  the  Chickens. 

CoRHEGGio,  Antoxio.    The  Holy  Xight. 

Breton,  J.  A.    Blessing  the  Fields. 

MuRiLLO,  B.  E.    The  Holy  Family. 

Renoue,  Peter.    The  Helping  Hand. 

Jameson,  George.    The  Fisherman's  Daughter. 

Intermediate  Grades 

Troyon,  Constant.    Return  to  the  Farm. 
Breton,  J.  A.   The  Song  of  the  Lark. 
Weber,  Otto.    Greedy  Calves. 


264    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

DuPKE,  Jules.    The  Balloon. 

Morgan,  Jacques.   A  Heavy  Load. 

Taylor,  Isaac.   The  Village  Blacksmith. 

BoNiiEUR,  Rosa.    The  Horse  Fair. 

Reni,  Guioo  :  The  Aurora. 

Rembrandt.    The  Mill. 

Dagnan-Bouveket,  p.  A.  J.    Madonna  and  Child. 

Millet,  J.  F.    The  Angeliis. 

Boughton,  G.  H.    The  Return  of  the  Mayflower. 

Daubigny,  Charles.    Spring. 

Jacque,  C.  E.    The  Sheepfold. 

Grammar  Grades 

Boughton,  G.  H.    Pilgrim  Exiles. 

Raphael.    The  Sistine  Madonna. 

Hoffmann,  Joseph.    Christ  and  the  Doctors. 

Breton,  J.  A.    End  of  Labor. 

Michelangelo  :  The  Three  Fates. 

Da  Vinci,  Leonardo  :  The  Last  Supper. 

CoROT,  J.  B.    The  Dance  of  the  Nymphs. 

Watts,  G.  F.    Sir  Galahad. 

Titian  :  The  Presentation  of  the  Virgin. 

Della  Robhia,  Luca  :  Singing  Children. 

Trumbull,  John.   The  Signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 


APPENDIX  B 

MEMORY  GEMS 

God  helps  them  that  help  themselves.  —  Fraxklix 
Be  sure  you  are  right,  then  go  ahead.  —  David  Crockett 
Education  is  the  chief  defense  of  nations.  —  Garfield 
Be  not  simply  good  —  be  good  for  something.  —  Thoreait 

Bad  men  excuse  their  faults,  good  men  will  leave  them. 

Bex  Joxsox 
Keep  company  with  tlie  good  and  you  will  be  one  of  them. 

Cervantes 

From    the    lowest    de])t]is   there   is    a   jtath    to   the    loftiest 
heights.  —  Carlyle 

Good  luck  will  help  a  man  over  the  ditch,  if  he  jumps  hard. 

Spurgeox 
I  would  rather  be  right  than  be  president  of  the  United 
States.  —  Hexry  Clay 

It  is  well  to  think  well ;  it  is  divine  to  act  well. 

Horace  IMaxx 

One  cannot  always  be  a  hero,  but  one  can  always  be  a  man. 

Goethe 
Self-conquest  is  the  greatest  of  victories.  —  Plato 

To  read  without  reflection  is  like  eating  without  digesting. 

Burke 
Whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  sliall  he  also  reap.  —  Bible 

Prosperity  makes  friends;  adversity  tries  them. 

Pacuvius 
265 


266    LANGUACiK  WOKlv  IX  El.KMKNTAKY  S('H(X)LS 

The  man  without  a  purpose  is  like  a  ship  without  a  rudder. 

I'aklyle 

Do  the  duty  that  lies  nearest  thee  which  thou  knowest  to 
])e  a  duty.    Thy  second  duty  will  already  luive  become  clearer. 

Oarlyle 

A  grateful  mind  is  not  only  the  greatest  of  virtues,  but  the 
parent  of  nil  other  virtues.  —  ('ickko 

(rod  has  two  dwellings  :  one  in  heaven  and  the  other  in  a 
meek  and  thankful  heart.  —  Izaak  Wai.tox 

The  chains  of  habit  are  generally  too  small  to  be  felt  till 
they  are  too  strong  to  be  broken.  —  Sami'kl  Johnsox 

I  have  learned  to  seek  my  happiness  by  limiting  my  desires 
rather  than  in  attem])ting  to  satisfy  them. 

.John  Stuart  Mill 

He  lives  long  who  lives  well ;  time  missi)ent  is  not  lived  but 
lost.  —  Fuller 

To  look  np  and  not  down,  to  look  forward  and  not  back,  to 
look  ont  and  not  in,  and  to  lend  a  hand.  —  E.  E.  Hale 

Habit  is  a  cable  ;  we  weave  a  thread  of  it  each  day,  and  it 
becomes  so  strong  we  cannot  break  it.  —  Horace  Mann 

We  grow  like  what  we  think  of ;  so  let  us  think  of  the  good, 
the  true,  and  the  beautiful.  —  Phillips  I>rooks 

If  you  wish  your  neighbors  to  see  what  God  is  like,  you 
must  let  them  see  what  He  can  make  yon  like. 

Charles  Kingsley 

He  who  is  false  to  present  duty  breaks  a  thread  in  the 
loom,  and  he  will  find  the  flaw  when  he  may  have  forgotten 
its  cause.  —  Beecher 

There  are  no  fragments  so  precious  as  those  of  time,  and 
none  so  heedlessly  lost  by  people  who  cannot  make  a  moment, 
and  yet  can  waste  years.  —  James  Montgomery 


APPENDIX  B  267 

I  shall  pass  this  way  but  once.  Aii}-  good  thing  thei'efore 
that  I  can  do  or  any  kindness  that  I  can  show  to  any  human 
being,  let  me  do  it  now.  —  Gii-i'ix 

A  good  character  is  the  finest  essential  in  a  man.  It  is, 
therefore,  highly  important  to  endeavor  not  only  to  be  learned, 
but  virtuous.  —  George  Washington 

Pride  slays  thanksgiving,  but  an  humble  mind  is  the  soil 
out  of  which  thanks  naturally  grow.  A  proud  man  is  seldom 
a  grateful  man,  for  he  never  thinks  he  gets  as  much  as  he 
deserves.  —  Beecher 

There  is  no  duty  the  fulfillment  of  which  will  not  make  you 
happier,  nor  any  temptation  for  which  there  is  no  remedy. 

8 exec A 

The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God ;  and  the  firmament 
showeth  his  handiwork.  —  Bible 

Honesty  is  the  best  policy  ;  but  he  who  acts  on  that  princi- 
ple is  not  an  honest  man.  —  Archbishop  Whateia" 

Experience  shows  that  success  is  due  less  to  ability  than  to 
zeal.  The  winner  is  he  who  gives  himself  to  liis  Avork,  body 
and  soul.  —  Buxton 

The  great  secret  of  success  in  life  is  for  a  man  to  be  ready 
when  his  opportunity  comes.  —  Disraeli 

The  lives  of  men  who  have  been  always  growing  are  strewed 
along  their  whole  course  with  the  things  tliey  have  learned  to 
do  without.  —  Phillips  Brooks 

Perseverance  is  a  great  element  of  success.  If  you  only 
knock  long  enough  and  loud  enough  at  the  gate,  you  are  sure 
to  wake  up  somebody.  —  Longfellow 

We  ought  to  hear  at  least  one  little  song  eveiy  day,  read  a 
good  poem,  see  a  first-rate  painting,  and,  if  possible,  speak  a 
few  sensible  words.  —  Goethe 


268    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

All  true  work  is  sacred ;  for  in  all  true  work,  were  it  but 
true  hand-labor,  there  is  something  of  divineness.  Labor,  wide 
as  the  earth,  has  its  summit  in  heaven.  —  Caklyle 

Be  such  a  life,  live  such  a  life,  that  if  every  man  were  such 
as  you,  and  every  life  a  life  like  yours,  this  earth  would  be  a 
paradise.  —  Phillips  Brooks 

Oh,  what  a  tangled  web  we  weave, 

When  first  we  practice  to  deceive  !  —  Scott 

Have  more  than  thou  showest. 

Speak  less  than  thou  knowest.  —  Shakespeare 

Act,  act  in  the  living  Present, 

Heart  within,  and  God  o'erhead.  —  Longfellow 

111  fares  the  land,  to  hastening  ills  a  prey. 

Where  wealth  accumulates  and  men  decay.  —  Goldsmith 

Dare  to  be  true  :  nothing  can  need  a  lie ; 

A  fault  which  needs  it  most  grows  two  thereby.  —  Herbert 

All  seems  infected  that  tli'  infected  spy. 

As  all  looks  yellow  to  the  jaundiced  eye.  —  Pope 

Count  that  day  lost  whose  low  descending  sun 

Views  from  thy  hand  no  worthy  action  done. — Anonymous 

Howe'er  it  be,  it  seems  to  me, 

'T  is  only  noble  to  be  good  ; 
Kind  hearts  are  more  than  coronets. 

And  simple  faith  than  Norman  blood.  —  Tennyson 

True  dignity  abides  in  him  alone. 

Who,  in  the  patient  hour  of  silent  thought. 

Can  still  respect  and  still  revere  himself.  —  Wordsworth 

So  nigh  is  grandeur  to  our  dust. 

So  near  is  God  to  man. 
When  Duty  whispers  low,  "  Thou  must," 

The  youth  replies,  "  I  can  !  "  —  Emerson 


APPENDIX  B  269 

We  shape  ourselves  in  joy  or  fear 

Of  which  the  coming  years  are  made, 
And  fill  our  futui-e's  atmosjihere 

With  sunshine  or  with  shade.  —  Whittier 

Whene'er  a  noble  deed  is  wrought, 
Whene'er  is  spoken  a  noble  thought, 
Our  hearts  in  glad  surprise 
To  higher  levels  rise.  —  Longfellow 

We  live  in  deeds,  not  years  ;  in  thoughts,  not  breaths ; 
In  feelings,  not  in  figures  on  a  dial. 
We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs.    He  most  lives 
Who  thinks  most,  feels  the  noblest,  acts  the  best.  —  Bailey 

Vice  is  a  monster  of  so  frightful  mien. 

As,  to  be  hated,  needs  but  to  be  seen  ; 

Yet  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  her  face. 

We  first  endure,  then  pity,  then  embrace.  —  Pope 

Be  not  the  first  by  whom  the  new  are  tried. 
Nor  yet  the  last  to  lay  the  old  aside.  —  Pope 

Heaven  is  not  reached  at  a  single  bound. 

But  we  build  the  ladder  by  which  we  rise 

From  the  lowly  earth  to  the  vaulted  skies, 
And  we  mount  to  its  summit  round  by  round.  —  Hollanj) 

He  prayeth  best  who  lovetli  best 

All  things  both  great  and  small ; 
For  the  dear  God  who  loveth  us. 

He  made  and  loveth  all.  —  Coleridge 

This  above  all :  to  thine  own  self  be  true. 
And  it  must  follow,  as  the  night  the  day. 
Thou  canst  not  then  be  false  to  any  man.  —  Shakespeare 

To  him  who,  in  the  love  of  nature,  holds 
Communion  with  her  visible  forms,  she  speaks 


270    LANGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

A  various  language  :  for  his  gayer  hours 
She  has  a  voice  of  gladness,  and  a  smile 
And  eloquence  of  beauty,  and  she  glides 
Into  his  darker  musings  with  a  mild 
And  healing  sympathy  that  steals  away 
Their  sharpness,  ere  he  is  aware.  —  Bryant 

I  count  this  a  thing  to  be  grandly  true. 
That  a  noble  deed  is  a  step  toward  God, 
Lifting  the  soul  from  the  common  sod 

To  purer  air  and  broader  view.  —  Holland 

God  bless  the  flag !    Let  it  float  and  fill 

The  sky  with  its  beauty ;  our  heartstrings  thrill 

To  the  low  sweet  chant  of  its  windswept  bars. 

And  the  chorus  of  all  its  clustering  stars.  —  Simpson 

I  hear  the  bells  on  Christmas  Day 
Their  old  familiar  carols  play, 

And  wild  and  sweet 

The  words  repeat 
Of  peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men  I  — Axuxymous 

The  snow  had  begun  in  the  gloaming, 

And,  busily  all  the  night. 
Had  been  heaping  fields  and  highway 

With  a  silence  deep  and  white. 

Every  pine  and  fir  and  hemlock 

Wore  ermine  too  dear  for  an  earl. 
And  the  poorest  twig  on  the  elm  tree 

Was  ridged  inch  deep  with  pearl.  —  Lowell 

Gaily  chattering  to  the  clattering 

Of  the  brown  nut  downward  pattering. 

Leap  the  squirrels,  red  and  gray  ; 
.    Drop  the  apples  red  and  yellow, 
Drop  the  russet  pears  and  mellow, 

Drop  the  red  leaves  all  the  day.  —  Ruskin 


APPENDIX  J'.  271 

Somebody  spoke. 

I  don't  know  who, 
But  snowdrop  heard, 

And  violet  knew. 

The  birds  came  back 

AVith  swift  glad  wing ; 
And  then  I  knew 

That  it  was  spring.  —  Anonymous 

^Vho  bnilds  a  cluueh  to  God,  and  not  to  fame. 
Will  never  mark  the  marble  with  his  name.  —  Poi-k 

Tongues  in  trees,  books  in  the  running  brooks. 
Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  everything.  —  Su.vkksi'kai£E 
Think  naught  a  trifle,  though  it  small  appear; 
Small  sands  the  mountain,  moments  make  the  year, 
And  trifles  life.  —  Young 

Better  to  feel  a  love  within 

Than  be  lovely  to  the  sight  I 
Better  a  homely  tenderness 

Than  beauty's  wild  delight  I  —  ^IacDonai.t) 

Who  gives  himself  with  his  alms  feeds  three.  — 
Himself,  his  hungering  neighbor,  and  me.  —  Lowell 

Pretty  little  violets,  waking  from  their  sleep. 

Fragrant  little  blossoms,  just  about  to  peep, 

Would  you  know  the  reason  all  the  world  is  gay  ? 

Listen  to  the  bobolink,  telling  us  *t  is  ALiy.  —  AxoxvMors 

October  glows  on  every  cheek, 

October  shines  in  every  eye, 
While  up  the  hill  and  down  the  dale 

Her  crimson  banners  fly.  —  Goodale 

Out  of  the  bosom  of  the  air. 

Out  of  the  cloudfolds  of  her  garments  shaken, 
Over  the  woodlands,  brown  and  bare. 

Over  the  harvest  fields  forsaken, 


272    LANGUAGE  ^VOIIK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Silent  and  soft  and  slow 

Descends  the  snow.  —  Longfellow 
A  glad  New  Year  or  a  sad  New  Year ; 

O,  what  shall  the  New  Year  be  ? 
I  cannot  tell  what  it  hath  in  store, 

I  wonld  that  I  might  foresee ; 
But  God  knows  well  and  I  need  no  more ; 

Is  that  not  enough  for  me  ?  —  Anonymous 


POEMS 

The  following  poems  are  given  for  the  convenience  of  the 
teacher  who  may  not  have  at  hand  a  volume  of  poems  suitable 
for  memorizing  in  the  grades.  They  have  been  chosen  with 
great  care.  Other  suitable  poems  may  be  found  in  the  regular 
and  su])pl('mentary  readers,  which  ever}'  school  should  possess. 

FlUST    (tKADE 

Little  Boy  Blue,  come  blow  your  horn ! 

The  sheep's  in  the  meadow,  the  cow's  in  the  corn. 

Where 's  the  little  boy  that  looks  after  the  sheep  ? 

He 's  under  the  haystack,  fast  asleep. 

Will  you  wake  him  ?    No,  not  I ; 

For  if  I  do,  he  '11  be  sure  to  cry.  — Mother  Goose 

Jack  and  Jill  went  up  the  hill, 

To  fetch  a  pail  of  water ; 
Jack  fell  down,  and  broke  his  crown, 

And  Jill  came  tumbling  after.  —  Mother  Goose 

Little  Bo-peep  has  lost  her  sheep, 

And  can't  tell  where  to  find  them  ; 
Leave  them  alone,  and  they  '11  come  home, 

Wagging  their  tails  behind  them. 


APPENDIX  B  273 

Little  Bo-peep  fell  fast  asleep, 

And  dreamed  she  heard  them  bleating ; 

But  when  she  awoke  she  found  it  a  joke, 
For  they  still  all  were  fleeting. 

Then  up  she  took  her  little  crook, 

Determined  for  to  find  them ; 
She  found  them  indeed,  but  it  made  her  lieart  bleed 
For  they  'd  left  their  tails  behind  them  I 

Mother  Goose 
Sing  a  song  of  sixpence, 
A  pocket  full  of  rye  ; 
Four  and  twenty  blackbirds 

Baked  in  a  pie ; 
When  the  pie  was  opened, 
The  birds  began  to  sing ; 
Was  not  that  a  dainty  dish 
To  set  before  the  king  ? 

The  king  was  in  his  counting  house. 

Counting  out  his  money ; 
The  queen  was  in  the  parlor. 

Eating  bread  and  honey  ; 
The  maid  was  in  the  garden, 

Hanging  out  the  clothes  ; 
There  came  along  a  blackbird 

And  nipped  off  her  nose.  —  3Iotiier  Goose 

Pussy-cat,  Pussy-cat, 

Where  have  you  been  ? 
I  've  been  to  London 

To  look  at  the  queen. 
Pussy-cat,  Pussy-cat, 

What  did  3'ou  there  ? 
I  frightened  a  little  mouse 

Under  her  chair.  —  jMotiiek  Goose 


•214:     LAXCiUAGE  AVOKK  IX  ELEMEXTAKY  SCHOOLS 

The  mail  in  the  iiiooii 

( "aiiie  clown  too  soon, 
To  iiuiuiie  tlie  way  to  X^orwicli ; 

The  man  in  the  soutli. 

He  burnt  his  nioutli 
Eating-  cold  iilum-porridge. 

MoTHKK  Goose  ■ 

Simple  Simon  met  a  pieman. 

Going  to  the  fair  ; 
Says  Simple  Simon  to  the  pieman, 

"  Let  me  taste  your  ware." 

Says  the  pieman  to  Simple  Simon, 

"  First  show  me  your  penny  "  ; 
Says  Simple  Simon  to  the  pieman, 

"  Indeed,  I  have  not  any." 

Simple  Simon  went  a-tishiiig 

For  to  catch  a  whale  ; 
]^ut  all  the  water  he  had  got 

Was  ill  liis  mother's  ])ail. 

Simple  Simon  went  to  look 

If  plums  grew  on  a  thistle ; 
He  i>ricked  his  fingers  very  much, 

Which  made  poor  Simon  Avhistle. 

]\IoTHEK  Goose 

THE  COWi 

The  friendly  cow  all  red  and  white, 

I  love  with  all  my  heart ; 
She  gives  me  cream  with  all  her  might. 

To  eat  with  apple  tart. 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Charles  Scribiier's  Soils. 


APPENDIX  B  275 

She  wanders  lowing  here  and  there, 

And  yet  she  cannot  stray, 
All  in  the  pleasant  oi)en  air, 

The  pleasant  light  of  day  ; 

And  blown  by  all  the  winds  that  pass 

And  wet  with    all  the  showers, 
She  walks  among  the  meadow  grass 

And  eats  the  meadow  flowers. 

Egbert  Lons  Stevkxsox 

THE  SWING  1 

How  do  you  like  to  go  up  in  a  swing. 

l'])  in  the  air  so  blue  ".' 
Uh  I    1  do  think  it  the  pleasantest  thing 

Ever  a  child  can  do ! 

rp  in  the  air  and  over  the  wall. 

Till  I  can  see  so  wide. 
Rivers  and  trees  and  cattle  and  all 

Over  the  countryside  — 

Till  I  look  down  on  the  garden  green, 

Down  on  the  roof  so  brown  — 
Up  in  the  air  I  go  flying  again. 

Up  in  the  air  and  down ! 

Robert  Louis  Stevexsox 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


276    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

littlp:  birdie 

What  does  little  birdie  say, 
In  her  nest  at  peep  of  day  ? 
^'  Let  me  fly,"  says  little  birdie, 

"  Mother,  let  me  fly  away." 
"^  Birdie,  rest  a  little  longer, 
Till  the  little  wings  are  stronger." 
So  she  rests  a  little  longer. 

Then  she  flies  away. 

What  does  little  baby  say, 
In  her  bed  at  peep  of  day  ? 
Baby  says,  like  little  birdie, 

"  Let  me  rise  and  fly  away." 
"  Baby,  sleep  a  little  longer. 
Till  the  little  limbs  are  stronger. 
If  she  sleeps  a  little  longer. 

Baby,  too,  shall  fly  away." 

Alfred  Tennyson 


SLEEP,  BABY,  SLEEP 

Sleep,  baby,  sleep ! 

Thy  father  watches  the  sheep ; 
Thy  mother  is  shaking  the  dreamland  tree, 
And  down  falls  a  little  dream  on  thee. 

Sleep,  baby,  sleep ! 

Sleep,  baby,  sleep ! 

The  large  stars  are  the  sheep ; 
The  wee  stars  are  the  lambs,  I  guess, 
And  the  bright  moon  is  the  shepherdess. 

Sleep,  baby,  sleep !  —  From  the  German 


APPENDIX  B  277 

RAIN  1 

The  rain  is  raining  all  around, 
It  falls  on  field  and  tree, 
It  rains  on  the  umbrellas  here. 
And  on  the  ships  at  sea. 

KoBERT  Louis  Stkyexsox 


LADY  MOON^ 

Lady  Moon,  Lady  Moon,  where  are  you  roving  ? 

"  Over  the  sea." 
Lady  ]Moon,  Lady  IMoon,  whom  are  you  loving  ? 

"  All  that  love  me." 

Are  you  not  tired  with  rolling,  and  never 

Resting  to  sleep  ? 
Wliy  look  so  pale  and  so  sad,  as  forever 

Wishing  to  weep  ? 

"  Ask  me  not  this,  little  child,  if  you  love  me ; 

You  are  too  bold ; 
I  must  obey  my  dear  Father  above  me. 

And  do  as  I  'm  told." 

Lady  Moon,  Lady  Moon,  where  are  you  roving  ? 

"  Over  the  sea." 
Lady  Moon,  Lady  Moon,  whom  are  you  loving  ? 

"  All  that  love  me."  —  Lord  Houghtox 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Cliarles  Scribner's  Sons. 

2  Used  by  permission  of  E.  P.  Button  &  Co. 


278     LANGUAGE  WOKK  TX  ELRMEXTAKV  SCHOOLS 

Grade  Two 

Three  wise  men  of  Gotham 

Went  to  sea  in  a  bowl ; 

If  the  bowl  had  been  stronger, 

Aly  song  had  been  longer.  — Mother  Goose 

The  north  wind  doth  bloAv. 
And  Ave  shall  have  snow, 
And  what  will  the  robin  do  tlien, 
Poor  thing  ? 

He  '11  sit  in  the  barn 

And  keep  himself  warm, 

And  hide  his  head  under  his  wing. 

Poor  thing !  — -  Mother  Goose 

There  was  a  man  in  our  town, 
And  he  was  wondrous  wise ; 
"He  jumped  into  a  bramble  bush, 
And  scratched  out  both  his  eyes. 

But  when  he  saw  his  eyes  were  out, 

With  all  his  might  and  main, 
He  jumped  into  another  bush, 

And  scratched  them  in  again. 

Mother  Goose 

TIME  TO  RISEi 

A  birdie  with  a  yellow  bill 

Hopped  upon  the  window  sill, 

Cocked  his  shining  eye  and  said, 

"  Ain't  you  'shamed,  you  sleepy-head  ?  " 

Egbert  Louis  Stevenson 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Ctiarles  Scribner's  Sons. 


APPENDIX  B  279 

THE  WIXDi 

I  saw  you  toss  the  kites  on  high 
And  blow  the  birds  about  the  sky ; 
And  all  around  I  heard  you  pass, 
Like  ladies'  skirts  across  the  grass  — 

0  wind,  a-blowing  all  day  long ! 

0  wind,  that  sings  so  loud  a  song ! 

I  saw  the  different  things  you  did. 
But  always  you  yourself  you  hid. 
I  felt  you  push,  I  heard  you  call, 
I  could  not  see  yourself  at  all  — 

0  wind,  a-blowing  all  day  long  I 

0  wind,  that  sings  so  loud  a  song ! 

0  you  that  are  so  strong  and  cold, 
0  blower,  are  you  young  or  old  ? 
Are  you  a  beast  of  field  and  tree. 
Or  just  a  stronger  child  than  nie  ? 

0  wind,  a-blowing  all  day  long ! 

0  wind,  that  sings  so  loud  a  song  I 

Robert  Louis  Stevensox 


THE  ROCK-A-BY  LADl'i 

The  Rock-a-by  Lady  from  Hush-a-by  Street 

Comes  stealing ;  comes  creeping ; 
The  poppies  they  hang  from  her  head  to  her  feet, 
And  each  hath  a  dream  that  is  tiny  and  fleet  — 
She  bringeth  her  poppies  to  you,  m}^  sweet. 

Where  she  findeth  you  sleeping  I 

1  Used  by  peruiLssiuu  uf  Chark's  .Scrihiier's  Sons. 


280    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCIHOOLS 

There  is  one  little  dream  of  a  beautiful  drum  — 

"Rub-a-dub!"  it  goetli ; 
There  is  one  little  dream  of  a  big  sugar-plum, 
And  lo !  thick  and  fast  the  other  dreams  come 
Of  pop-guns  that  bang,  and  tin  tops  that  hum. 

And  a  trumpet  that  bloweth. 

And  dollies  peep  out  of  those  wee  little  dreams 

With  laughter  and  singing  ; 
And  boats  go  a-floating  on  silvery  streams, 
And  the  stars  peek-a-bo  with  their  own  misty  gleams, 
And  up,  up,  and  up,  where  the  Mother  Moon  beams, 

The  fairies  go  winging ! 

Would  you  dream  all  these  dreams  that  are  tiny  and  fleet  ? 

They  '11  come  to  you  sleeping ; 
So  shut  the  two  eyes  that  are  weary,  my  sweet. 
For  the  Rock-a-by  Lady  from  Hush-a-by  Street, 
With  poppies  that  hang  fronr  her  head  to  her  feet. 

Comes  stealing;  conies  creeping.  —  Eugexe  Eield 

F0REI(4N   I.ANDSi 

Up  into  a  cherry  tree 

Who  should  climb  but  little  me  ! 

I  held  the  trunk  with  both  my  hands 

And  looked  abroad  on  foreign  lands. 

I  saw  the  next-door  garden  lie. 
Adorned  Avith  flowers,  before  my  eye, 
And  many  pleasant  places  more, 
That  I  had  never  seen  before. 

I  saw  the  dimpling  river  i)ass 

And  be  the  sky's  blue  looking-glass; 

1  Used  by  permissiun  of  Charles  Scribiier's  Sous. 


APPENDIX  P.  281 

The  dusty  roads  go  up  and  down, 
With  people  tramping  in  the  town. 

If  I  could  find  a  higher  tree 
Farther  and  farther  I  should  see, 
To  where  the  grown-up  river  slips 
Into  the  sea  among  the  ships ; 

To  where  the  roads  on  either  hand 
Lead  onward  into  fairyland, 
Where  all  the  children  dine  at  five. 
And  all  the  playthings  come  alive. 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson 


ANSWER  TO  A  CHILD'S  QUESTION 

Do  you  ask  what  the  birds  say  ?    The  sparrow,  the  dove, 
The  linnet  and  thrush  say,  "  I  love  and  I  love  !  " 
In  the  winter  they  're  silent,  the  wind  is  so  strong ; 
What  it  says  I  don't  know,  but  it  sings  a  loud  song. 
But  green  leaves  and  blossoms,  and  sunny  warm  weather, 
And  singing  and  loving,  all  come  together ; 
Then  the  lark  is  so  brimful  of  gladness  and  love, 
The  green  fields  below  him,  the  bhie  sky  above, 
That  he  sings  and  he  sings,  and  forever  sings  he, 
''  I  love  my  Love,  and  my  Love  loves  me." 

Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge 


SINGING  1 

Of  speckled  eggs  the  birdie  sings 
And  nests  among  the  trees ; 

The  sailor  sings  of  ropes  and  things 
In  ships  upon  the  seas. 

1  Used  by  perniissiou  of  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


282    LANCIUAGE  WORK   IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

The  (diildreii  sing  in  far  Japan, 

The  children  sing  in  Spain  ; 
The  organ  with  the  organ  man 

Is  singing  in  tlie  rain. 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson 


AVHY  DO  BELLS  OF  CHRISTMAS   RL\(t?i 

Why  do  bells  of  ( 'hristmas  ring  '! 
Wiry  do  little  children  sing  ? 

Once  a  lovely,  shining  star, 
Seen  by  shepherds  from  afar. 
Gently  moved  until  its  light 
Made  a  manger's  cradle  bright. 
There  a  darling  baby  lay. 
Pillowed  soft  upon  the  hay  ; 
And  its  mother  sung  and  smiled, 
"  This  is  Christ,  the  holy  child !  " 

Therefore  bells  for  Christmas  ring, 

Therefore  little  children  sing.  —  Eugene  Field 

MY  SHADOW  1 

I  have  a  little  shadow  that  goes  in  and  out  with  me, 
And  what  can  be  the  use  of  him  is  more  than  I  can  see. 
He  is  very,  very  like  me  from  the  heels  up  to  the  head ; 
And  I  see  him  jump  before  me,  when  I  jump  into  my  bed. 

The  funniest  thing  about  him  is  the  way  he  likes  to  grow  — 
Xot  at  all  like  proper  children,  which  is  always  very  slow ; 
For  he  sometimes  shoots  up  taller  like  an  india-rubber  ball. 
And  he  sometimes  gets  so  little  that  there  's  none  of  him  at  all. 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Cliarles  Scribner's  Sons. 


APPENDIX  B  283 

He  has  n't  got  a  notion  of  liow  children  ought  to  play, 
And  can  only  make  a  fool  of  nie  in  every  sort  of  way. 
He  stays  so  close  beside  me,  he  's  a  coward  you  can  see ; 
I  'd  think  shame  to  stick  to  nursie  as  that  shadow  sticks  to  me  I 

One  morning,  very  early,  before  the  sun  was  up, 
I  rose  and  found  the  shining  dew  on  every  buttercup : 
But  my  lazy  little  shadow,  like  an  arrant  sleepyhead. 
Had  stayed  at  home  behind  me  and  was  fast  asleep  in  bed. 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson 


THE  CHILD'S  WORLD 

Great,  wide,  beautiful,  wonderful  World, 
With  the  wonderful  water  round  you  curled. 
And  the  wonderful  grass  upon  your  breast  — 
World,  you  are  l)eautifully  drest ! 

The  wonderful  air  is  over  me, 
And  the  wonderful  wind  is  shaking  the  tree ; 
It  walks  on  the  water,  and  whirls  the  mills. 
And  talks  to  itself  on  the  top  of  the  liills. 

You  friendly  Earth,  how  far  do  you  go. 

With  the  wheat-fields  that  nod,  and  the  rivers  that  flo-w . 

With  cities  and  gardens,  and  cliifs  and  isles. 

And  people  upon  you  for  thousands  of  miles  ? 

Ah !  you  are  so  great,  and  1  am  so  small, 

I  tremble  to  think  of  you,  AVorld.  at  all ; 

And  yet  when  I  said  my  prayers  to-day, 

A  whisper  inside  me  seemed  to  say, 

"  You  are  more  than  the  Earth,  though  you  are  such  a  dot 

You  can  love  and  think,  and  the  Earth  cannot.'" 

Benj.  Rands 


28i    LAis^GUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Grade  Three 
PIPPA'S  SONG 

The  year 's  at  the  spring 
And  day 's  at  the  morn ; 
Morning 's  at  seven  ; 
The  hillside 's  dew-pearled ; 
The  lark  's  on  the  wing ; 
The  snail 's  on  the  thorn  ; 
God 's  in  his  heaven  — 
All 's  right  with  the  world  ! 

Robert  Browning 

AYHO  HAS  SEEN  THE  WIND? 

Who  has  seen  the  wind  ? 

Neither  I  nor  you ; 
But  when  the  leaves  hang  trembling, 

The  wind  is  passing  througli. 

Who  has  seen  the  wind  ? 

Neither  you  nor  I. 
But  when  the  trees  bow  down  their  heads 

The  wind  is  passing  by. — -Christina  G.  Rossetti 

SAVEET  AND  LOW 

Sweet  and  low,  sweet  and  low. 

Wind  of  the  western  sea ; 
Low,  low,  breathe  and  blow, 

Wind  of  the  western  sea ! 
Over  the  rolling  waters  go. 
Come  from  the  dying  moon,  and  blow. 

Blow  him  again  to  me  ; 
While  my  little  one,  while  my  pretty  one,  sleeps- 


APPENDIX  B  285 

Slee})  and  rest,  sleep  and  rest, 

Father  will  come  to  thee  soon ; 
Kest,  rest,  on  mother's  breast, 

Father  will  come  to  thee  soon  ; 
Father  will  come  to  his  babe  in  the  nest, 
Silver  sails  all  out  of  the  west 
Under  the  silver  moon ; 
Sleep,  my  little  one,  sleep,  my  jDretty  one,  sleep. 

Alfked  Tennysox 


THE  OWL  AND  THE  PUSSY-CAT 

The  Owl  and  the  Pussy-Cat  went  to  sea 

In  a  beautiful  pea-green  boat>; 
They  took  some  honey,  and  plenty  of  money 

Wrapped  up  in  a  five-pound  note. 
The  Owl  looked  up^to  the  moon  above, 

And  sang  to  a  small  guitar, 
"  0  lovely  Pussy  !    0  Pussy,  my  love. 

What  a  beautiful  Pussy  you  are,  — 
You  are, 

W^hat  a  beautiful  Pussy  you  are.  " 

Pussy  said  to  the  Owl,  "  You  elegant  fowl ! 

How  wonderfully  sweet  you  sing ! 
Oh,  let  us  be  married,  —  too  long  have  we  tarried, 

But  what  shall  we  do  for  a  ring  ?  " 
They  sailed  away  for  a  yea.v  and  a  day 

To  the  land  Avhere  the  Bong-tree  grows, 
And  there  in  a  wood,  a  Piggy-wig  stood. 

With  a  ring  in  the  end  of  his  nose,  — 
His  nose, 

With  a  ring  in  the  end  of  his  nose. 


286    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IK  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

"  Dear  Pig,  are  you  willing  to  sell  for  one  shilling 

Your  ring  ?  "    Said  the  Piggy,  "  I  will." 
So  they  took  it  away,  and  were  married  next  day 

By  the  Turkey  who  lives  on  the  hill. 
They  dined  upon  mince  and  slices  of  quince, 

Which  they  ate  with  a  runcible  spoon, 
And  hand  in  hand  on  the  edge  of  the  sand 

They  danced  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  — 
The  moon, 

They  danced  by  the  light  of  the  moon. 

Edwakd  Lear 


BOATS  SAIL  ON  THE  RIVERS 

Boats  sail  on  the  rivers. 

And  ships  sail  on  the  seas. 
But  clouds  that  sail  across  the  sky 

Are  prettier  far  than  these. 

There  are  bridges  on  the  rivers, 

As  pretty  as  you  please ; 
But  the  bow  that  bridges  heaven 

And  overtops  the  trees. 
And  builds  a  road  from  earth  to  sky, 

Is  prettier  far  than  these. 

Christixa  G.  Rossetti 


A  BOY'S  SONG 

Where  the  pools  are  bright  and  deep. 
Where  the  gray  trout  lies  asleep, 
LTp  the  river  and  o'er  the  lea  — 
That 's  the  way  for  Billy  and  me. 


APFEX])IX  r.  287 

Where  the  blackbird  sings  the  latest, 
Where  the  hawthorn  blooms  the  sweetest, 
Where  the  nestlings  chirp  and  flee  — 
That 's  the  way  for  l^illy  and  me. 

Where  the  mowers  mow  the  cleanest, 
Where  the  hay  lies  thick  and  greenest ; 
There  to  trace  the  homeward  bee  — 
That 's  the  way  for  l^illy  and  me. 

Where  the  hazel  bank  is  steepest, 
AVhere  the  shadow  falls  the  deepest, 
Where  the  clustering  nuts  fall  free  — 
That 's  the  way  for  Billy  and  me. 

Why  the  boys  should  drive  away 
Little  sweet  maidens  from  their  play, 
Or  love  to  banter  and  fight  so  well- — 
That 's  the  thing  I  never  could  tell. 

But  this  I  know,  I  love  to  i)lay, 

Through  the  meadow,  among  the  hay. 

Up  the  water  and  o'er  the  lea  — 

That's  the  way  for  Billy  and  me.  ^.1  a:\ies  Hocift 

FAIRY  FOLK  ^ 

Up  the  airy  mountain, 

Down  the  rushy  glen. 
We  dare  n't  go  a-hunting. 

For  fear  of  little  men  ; 
Wee  folk,  good  folk, 

Trooping  all  together ; 
Green  jacket,  red  cap, 

And  white  owl's  feather. 

1  Used  by  permission  of  David  McKay,  Publisher. 


LANGUAGE  \\'ORK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Down  along  the  rocky  shore 

Some  make  their  home,  — 
They  live  on  crispy  pancakes 

Of  yellow  tide  foam ; 
Some  in  the  reeds 

( )f  the  black  mountain  lake, 
With  frogs  for  their  watchdogs. 

All  night  awake. 


High  on  the  hill-top 

The  old  King  sits  : 
He  is  now  so  old  and  gray 

He 's  nigh  lost  his  wits. 
With  a  bridge  of  white  mist 

C'olumbkill  he  crosses. 
On  his  stately  journeys 

From  Slieveleague  to  Rosses  ; 
Or  going  up  with  music 

On  cold  starry  nights. 
To  sup  with  the  Queen 

Of  the  gay  Northern  Lights. 

r 

They  stole  little  Bridget 

For  seven  years  long  ; 
When  she  came  down  again 

Her  friends  were  all  gone. 
They  took  her  lightly  back, 

Between  the  night  and  morrow ; 
They  thought  that  she  was  fast  asleep, 

But  she  was  dead  with  sorrow. 
They  have  kept  her  ever  since 

Deep  within  the  lakes, 
On  a  bed  of  flag  leaves. 

Watching  till  she  wakes. 


APPENDIX  B  289 

By  the  craggy  hillside, 

Through  the  mosses  bare, 
They  have  planted  thorn-trees 

Por  pleasure  here  and  there. 
Is  any  man  so  daring 

As  dig  one  up  in  spite  '.' 
He  shall  find  the  thornies  set 

In  his  bed  at  night. 

Up  the  airy  mountain, 

Down  the  rush}'-  glen, 
We  dare  n't  go  a-hunting 

Por  fear  of  little  men  : 
Wee  folk,  good  folk, 

Trooping  all  together ; 
Green  jacket,  red  cap, 

And  white  owl's  feather. 

WlLLIAlNI  AlLIXGHAM 


THE  LOST  DOLL 

I  once  had  a  sweet  little  doll,  dears,  » 

The  prettiest  doll  in  the  world ; 
Her  cheeks  were  so  red  and  white,  dears, 

And  her  hair  was  so  charmingly  curled. 
But  I  lost  my  poor  little  doll,  dears. 

As  I  played  on  the  heath  one  day ; 
And  I  cried  for  her  more  than  a  week,  dears, 

But  I  never  could  find  where  she  lay. 

I  found  my  jjoor  little  doll,  dears, 
As  I  played  on  the  heath  one  day ; 

Polks  say  she  is  terribly  changed,  dears, 
Por  her  paint  is  all  washed  away, 


29U    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

And  her  arms  trodden  off  by  the  cows,  dears, 

And  her  hair  not  the  least  bit  curled ; 
Yet  for  old  sake's  sake,  she  is  still,  dears, 

The  prettiest  doll  in  the  world.  — Chaklbs  Kingsley 

Intermediate  Grades 

THE  SINGER  1 

0  Lark  !  sweet  lark  ! 

Where  learn  you  all  your  minstrelsy  ? 

What  realms  are  those  to  which  you  fly  ? 
While  robins  feed  their  young  from  dawn  till  dark, 

You  soar  on  high  — 

Forever  in  the  sky. 

0  child  !  dear  child ! 

Above  the  clouds  I  lift  my  wing 

To  hear  the  bells  of  heaven  ring  ; 
Some  of  their  music,  though  my  flights  be  wild, 

To  earth  I  bring; 

Then  let  me  soar  and  sing  !  —  Edmund  C.  Stedman 

O  LITTLE  TOWN  OF  BETHLEHEM  2 

0  little  town  of  Bethlehem, 

How  still  we  see  thee  lie  ! 
Above  thy  deep  and  dreamless  sleep 

The  silent  stars  go  by ; 
Yet  in  thy  dark  streets  shineth 

The  everlasting  Light ; 
The  hopes  and  fears  of  all  the  years 

Are  met  in  thee  to-night. 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Houghton  Mifflin  Company. 
'-'  Phillips  Brooks,  Christmas  Songs  and  Easter  Carols.  Permission  of 
E.  P.  Dutton  &  Co, 


APPENDIX  15  291 

For  Christ  is  born  of  Mary, 

And,  gathered  all  above, 
While  mortals  sleep,  the  angels  keep 

Their  watch  of  wondering  love. 
0  morning  stars,  together 

Proclaim  the  holy  birth  ! 
And  praises  sing  to  God  the  King, 

And  peace  to  men  on  earth. 

How  silently,  how  silently. 

The  wondrous  gift  is  given  ! 
So  God  imparts  to  human  hearts 

The  blessings  of  His  heaven. 
No  ear  may  hear  His  coming 

But  in  this  world  of  sin. 
Where  meek  souls  will  receive  Him  still, 

The  dear  Christ  enters  in. 

0  holy  Child  of  Bethlehem  ! 

Descend  on  us,  we  pray ; 
Cast  out  our  sin,  and  enter  in. 

Be  born  in  us  to-day. 
We  hear  the  Christmas  angels 

The  great  glad  tidings  tell ; 
Oh,  come  to  us,  abide  with  us. 

Our  Lord  Emmanuel !  —  Phillips  Brooks 

DOWN  TO  SLEEP  1 

November  woods  are  bare  and  still ; 

November  days  are  clear  and  bright ; 
Each  noon  burns  up  the  morning  chill ; 

The  morning's  snow  is  gone  by  night. 

^  Helen  Hunt  Jackson,  Poems.    Copyright,  1892,  by  Robert  Brothers. 
Used  by  permission. 


292    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Each  day  my  steps  grow  slow,  grow  light, 
As  through  the  woods  I  reverently  creep, 
Watching  all  things  lie  "  down  to  sleep." 

I  never  knew  before  what  beds, 

Fragrant  to  smell  and  soft  to  touch. 
The  forest  sifts  and  shapes  and  spreads ; 

I  never  knew  before  how  much 

Of  human  sound  there  is  in  such 
Low  tones  as  through  the  forest  sweep. 

Each  day  I  find  new  coverlids 

Tucked  in,  and  more  sweet  eyes  shut  tight ; 
Sometimes  the  viewless  mother  bids 

Her  ferns  kneel  down  full  in  my  sight ; 

I  hear  their  chorus  of  "  good-night "  ; 
And  half  I  smile  and  half  I  weep. 
Listening  while  they  lie  "  down  to  sleep." 

November  woods  are  bare  and  still ; 

November  days  are  bright  and  good ; 
Life's  noon  burns  up  life's  morning  chill ; 

Life's  night  rests  feet  that  long  have  stood ; 

Some  warm  soft  bed,  in  field  or  wood. 
The  mother  will  not  fail  to  keep. 
Where  we  can  "  lay  us  down  to  sleep." 

Helen  Hunt  Jackson 

THE  DAFFODILS 

I  wandered  lonely  as  a  cloud 

That  floats  on  high  o'er  vales  and  hills, 

When  all  at  once  I  saw  a  crowd,  — 
A  host,  of  golden  daffodils. 

Beside  the  lake,  beneath  the  trees. 

Fluttering  and  dancing  in  the  breeze. 


APPENDIX  15  293 

Continuous  as  the  stars  that  shine 

And  twinkle  on  the  milky  way, 
They  stretched  in  never-ending  line 

Along  the  margin  of  a  bay  : 
Ten  thousand  saw  I  at  a  glance, 
Tossing  their  heads  in  sprightly  dance. 

The  waves  beside  them  danced,  but  they 
Outdid  the  sparkling  waves  in  glee ; 

A  poet  could  not  but  be  gay 
In  such  a  jocund  company. 

I  gazed,  and  gazed,  but  little  thought 

What  wealth  the  show  to  me  had  brought. 

For  oft  when  on  my  couch  I  lie 

In  vacant  or  in  pensive  mood, 
They  flash  upon  that  inward  eye 

Which  is  the  bliss  of  solitude ; 
And  then  my  heart  with  pleasure  fills. 
And  dances  with  the  daffodils. 

William  Wokdswokth 


THE  BROOK 

I  come  from  haunts  of  coot  and  hern, 

I  make  a  sudden  sally, 
And  sparkle  out  among  the  fern, 

To  bicker  down  a  valley. 

By  thirty  hills  I  hurry  down, 
Or  slip  between  the  ridges. 

By  twenty  thorps,  a  little  town, 
And  half  a  hundred  bridges. 


21)4     LA^sUL'AGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTAilY  SCHOOLS 

Till  last  by  Phillip's  fanu  I  flow 

To  join  the  briniiuing  river, 
For  men  may  eonie  and  men  may  go, 

But  I  go  on  forever. 

I  chatter  over  stony  ways, 

In  little  sharps  and  trebles, 
I  bubble  into  eddying  bays, 

I  babble  on  the  pebbles. 

With  many  a  curve  my  banks  I  fret 

By  many  a  held  and  fallow, 
And  many  a  fairy  foreland  set 

With  willow-weed  and  mallow. 

I  chatter,  chatter,  as  I  flow 

To  join  the  brimming  river. 
For  men  may  come  and  men  may  go,  ' 

But  I  go  on  forever. 

I  wind  about,  and  in  and  out, 

With  here  a  blossom  sailing. 
And  here  and  there  a  lusty  trout, 

And  here  and  there  a  grayling, 

And  here  and  there  a  foamy  flake 

Upon  me,  as  I  travel, 
With  many  a  silvery  waterbreak 

Above  the  golden  gravel, 

And  draw  them  all  along,  and  flow 

To  join  the  brimming  river. 
For  men  may  come  and  men  may  go, 

l>ut  I  go  on  forever.  —  Alfred  Tennyson 


APPENDIX  B  295 

TO-DAY 

So  here  hath  been  dawning 

Another  blue  da}' : 
Think,  wilt  thou  let  it 

Slip  useless  awa}'  ? 

Out  of  Eternit}' 

This  new  day  was  born ; 
Into  Eternity, 

At  night,  will  I'eturn. 

Behold  it  aforetime 

No  eye  ever  did ; 
So  soon  it  forever 

Erom  all  eyes  is  hid. 

Here  hath  been  dawning 

Another  blue  day  : 
Think,  Avilt  thou  let  it 

Slip  useless  away  ? 

Thomas  Caklyle 


WINGS 

AVings  that  flutter  in  sunny  air ; 

AVings  that  dive  and  dip  and  dare; 
Wings  of  the  huunning  bird  flashing  by ; 
Wings  of  the  lark  in  the  purple  sky  ; 
Wings  of  the  eagle  aloft,  aloof : 
Wings  of  the  pigeon  upon  the  roof ; 
Wings  of  the  storm  bird  swift  and  free, 
With  wild  wings  sweeping  across  the  sea  : 

Often  and  often  a  voice  in  me  sings,  — 

C),  for  the  freedom,  the  freedom  of  wings  I 


296    LANGUAGE  WORK  m  ELEMEKTAEY  SCHOOLS 

0,  to  winnow  the  air  with  wings  ; 

0,  to  float  far  above  hurtful  things  — 
Things  that  weary  and  wear  and  fret ; 
Deep  in  the  azure  to  fly  and  forget ; 
To  touch  in  a  moment  the  mountain's  crest, 
Or  haste  to  the  valley  for  home  and  rest ; 
To  rock  with  the  pine  tree  as  wild  birds  may ; 
To  follow  the  sailor  a  smnmer's  day  : 

Over  and  over  a  voice  in  me  sings,  — 

0,  for  the  freedom,  the  freedom  of  wings ! 

Softly  responsive  a  voice  in  me  sings,  — 
Thou  hast  the  freedom,  the  freedom  of  wings ; 

Soon  as  the  glass  a  second  can  count, 

Into  the  heavens  thy  heart  may  mount ; 

Hope  may  fly  to  the  topmost  peak ; 

Love  its  nest  in  the  vale  may  seek ; 

Outspeeding  the  sailor.  Faith's  pinions  may 

Touch  the  ends  of  the  earth  in  a  summer's  day. 
Softly  responsive  a  voice  in  me  sings,  — 
Thou  hast  the  freedom,  the  freedom  of  wings. 

Maky  F.  Butts 


THE  BUILDERS 

All  are  architects  of  Fate, 

Working  in  these  walls  of  Time ; 
Some  with  massive  deeds  and  great, 

Some  with  ornaments  of  rhyme. 

Nothing  useless  is,  or  low ; 

Each  thing  in  its  place  is  best ; 
And  what  seems  but  idle  show 

Strengthens  and  supports  the  rest. 


APPENDIX  B  297 

For  the  structure  that  we  raise, 

Time  is  with  materials  tilled  ; 
Our  to-days  and  yesterdays 

Are  the  blocks  with  which  we  build. 

Truly  shape  and  fashion  these ; 

Leave  no  yawning  gaps  between ; 
Think  not,  because  no  man  sees, 

Such  things  will  remain  unseen. 

In  the  elder  days  of  Art, 

Builders  wrought  with  greatest  care 
Each  minute  and  unseen  part ; 

For  the  gods  see  everywhere. 

Let  us  do  our  work  as  well, 

Both  the  unseen  and  the  seen  ; 
Make  the  house,  where  gods  may  dwell, 

Beautiful,  entire,  and  clean. 

Else  our  lives  are  incomplete, 

Standing  in  these  walls  of  Time, 
Broken  stairways,  where  the  feet 

Stumble  as  they  seek  to  climb. 

Build  to-day,  then,  strong  and  sure, 

With  a  firm  and  ample  base ; 
And  ascending  and  secure 

Shall  to-morrow  find  its  place. 

Thus  alone  can  we  attain 

To  those  turrets,  where  the  eye 
Sees  the  world  as  one  vast  plain, 

And  one  boundless  reach  of  sky. 

Henry  Wads  worth  Loxgfellow 


29^!     LANGIAGE  WORK   IN   ELE.ME:sTAKV  ^SCHOOLS 

CLEAR  AND  COOL 

Clear  and  cool,  clear  and  cool, 
By  laughing  shallow,  and  dreaming  pool ; 

Cool  and  clear,  cool  and  clear. 
By  shining  shingle,  and  foaming  weir ; 
Under  the  crag  where  the  ouzel  sings, 
And  the  ivied  wall  where  the  church-bell  rings, 
Undefiled,  for  the  undefiled  ; 

Play  by  me,  bathe  in  me,  mother  and  child. 

Dank  and  foul,  dank  and  foul, 
By  the  smoky  town  in  its  murky  cowl ; 

Foul  and  dank,  foul  and  dank, 
By  wharf  and  sewer  and  slimy  bank ; 
Darker  and  darker  the  farther  I  go ; 
Baser  and  baser  tlie  richer  I  grow ; 

Who  dare  sport  with  the  sin-defiled  ? 

Shrink  from  me,  turn  from  me,  mother  and  child. 

Strong  and  free,  strong  and  free. 
The  floodgates  are  open,  away  to  the  sea ; 

Free  and  strong,  free  and  strong, 
Cleansing  my  streams  as  I  liurr}^  along, 
To  the  golden  sands,  and  the  leaping  bar, 
And  the  taintless  tide  that  awaits  me  afar. 
As  I  lose  myself  in  the  infinite  main, 
Tjike  a  soul  that  has  sinned  and  is  pardoned  again. 
Undefiled,  for  the  undefiled  ; 

Play  by  me,  bathe  in  me,  mother  and  child. 

Charles  Kixgsley 


APPENDIX  B  299 


MARCH 


The  stormy  March  has  come  at  last, 

With  wind,  and  cloud,  and  changing  skies  ; 

I  hear  the  rushing  of  the  blast 

That  through  the  snowy  valley  flies. 


Ah,  passing  few  are  they  who  speak, 
Wild,  stormy  month !  in  praise  of  thee  ; 

Yet,  though  thy  winds  are  loud  and  bleak, 
Thou  art  a  welcome  month  to  me. 


For  thou,  to  northern  lands,  again 

The  glad  and  glorious  sun  doth  bring, 

And  thou  hast  joined  the  gentle  train, 
And  wearest  the  gentle  name  of  Spring. 


And,  in  thy  reign  of  blast  and  storm, 
Smiles  many  a  long,  bright,  sunny  day, 

When  the  changed  winds  are  soft  and  warm, 
And  heaven  puts  on  the  blue  of  May. 


Thou  bring'st  the  hope  of  those  calm  skies, 
And  that  soft  time  of  sunny  showers. 

When  the  wide  bloom,  on  earth  that  lies, 
Seems  of  a  brighter  world  than  ours. 

WlLLIAlM  ClLLK.V   BlIVAXT 

1  Copyright,  1854,  1871,  by  William  Culleii  Bryant.    Copyright,  1878, 
>y  D.  Appleton  and  Company.    Used  by  permission. 


300    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

THE  SEA 

The  sea !  the  sea !  the  open  sea ! 

The  blue,  the  fresh,  the  ever  free ! 

Without  a  mark,  without  a  bound, 

It  runneth  the  earth's  wide  regions  round ; 

It  plays  with  the  clouds ;  it  mocks  the  skies, 

Or  like  a  cradled  creature  lies. 

I  'm  on  the  sea !    I  'm  on  the  sea ! 

I  am  where  I  would  ever  be ;   • 

With  the  blue  above,  and  the  bkie  below. 

And  silence  wheresoe'er  I  go ; 

If  a  storm  should  come  and  awake  the  deep, 

What  matter  ?    I  shall  ride  and  sleep. 

I  love,  oh !  how  I  love  to  ride 
On  the  fierce,  foaming,  bursting  tide, 
When  every  mad  wave  drowns  the  moon. 
Or  whistles  aloft  his  tempest  tune. 
And  tells  how  goeth  the  world  below. 
And  why  the  southwest  blasts  do  blow. 

I  never  was  on  the  dull,  tame  shore. 
But  I  love  the  great  sea  more  and  more. 
And  backward  flew  to  her  billowy  breast. 
Like  a  bird  that  seeketh  its  mother's  nest ; 
And  the  mother  she  was,  and  is,  to  me ; 
For  I  was  born  on  the  open  sea ! 

The  waves  were  white,  and  red  the  morn, 
In  the  noisy  hour  when  I  was  born ; 
And  the  whale  it  whistled,  the  porpoise  rolled, 
And  the  dolphins  bared  their  backs  of  gold ; 
And  never  was  heard  such  an  outcry  wild 
As  welcomed  to  life  the  ocean-child ! 


APPENDIX  B  301 

I  've  lived  since  then,  in  calm  and  strife, 
Full  fifty  summers,  a  sailor's  life, 
With  wealth  to  spend,  and  power  to  range, 
But  never  have  sought  nor  sighed  for  change ; 
And  Death,  whenever  he  comes  to  me, 
Shall  come  on  the  wild,  unbounded  sea ! 

Barry  Cornwall 


Grammar  Grades 

TO  A  WATERFOWL  1 

Whither,  'midst  falling  dew, 
While  glow  the  heavens  with  the  last  steps  of  day, 
Far,  through  their  rosy  depths,  dost  thou  pursue 

Thy  solitary  way  ? 

Vainly  the  fowler's  eye 
Might  mark  thy  distant  flight  to  do  thee  wrong. 
As,  darkly  painted  on  the  crimson  sky, 

Thy  figure  floats  along. 

Seek'st  thou  the  plashy  brink 
Of  weedy  lake,  or  marge  of  river  wide. 
Or  where  the  rocking  billows  rise  and  sink 

On  the  chafed  ocean-side  ? 

There  is  a  Power  whose  care 
Teaches  thy  way  along  that  pathless  coast,  — 
The  desert  and  the  illimitable  air,  — 

Lone  wandering,  but  not  lost. 

1  Copyright,  1854.  1871.  William  Cullen  Bryant.    Copyright.  1878.  by 
D.  Appleton  and  Company.   Used  by  permission. 


302    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

All  day  thy  wings  have  fanned, 
At  that  far  height,  the  cold,  thin  atmosphere, 
Yet  stoop  not,  Aveary,  to  the  Avelcome  land, 

Though  the  dark  night  is  near. 

And  soon  that  toil  shall  end ; 
Soon  shalt  thou  find  a  summer  home,  and  rest, 
And  scream  among  thy  fellows  ;  reeds  shall  bend 

Soon,  o'er  thy  sheltered  nest. 

Thou  'rt  gone,  the  abyss  of  heaven 
Hath  swallowed  up  thy  form ;  yet,  on  my  heart 
Deeply  hath  sunk  the  lesson  thou  hast  given, 

And  shall  not  soon  depart. 

He  who,  from  zone  to  zone. 
Guides  through  the  boundless  sky  thy  certain  flight, 
In  the  long  way  that  I  must  tread  alone. 

Will  lead  my  steps  aright. 

William  Cullex  Bryaxt 


MY  NATIVE  LAND 

Breathes  there  the  man  with  soul  so  dead 
Who  never  to  himself  hath  said, 

"  This  is  my  own  —  my  native  land  !  " 
Whose  heart  hath  ne'er  within  him  burned. 
As  home  his  footsteps  he  hath  turned, 

From  wandering  on  a  foreign  strand  ? 

If  such  there  breathe,  go,  mark  him  well ! 
For  him  no  minstrel  raptures  swell. 
High  though  his  titles,  proud  his  name. 

Boundless  his  wealth  as  Avish  can  claim,  — 
Despite  those  titles,  power,  and  pelf. 
The  wretch,  concentered  all  in  self, 


Al'PEMUX  1'.  303 

Living,  shall  forfeit  fair  renown, 
And,  doubly  dying,  shall  go  down 
To  the  vile  dust  from  whence  he  sprung. 
Unwept,  unhonored,  and  unsung. 

Sni  Waltek  Scott 


THE  AMERICAX  FLAG 

When  Freedom  from  her  mountain  height 
Unfurled  her  standard  to  the  air. 

She  tore  the  azure  robe  of  night, 
And  set  the  stars  of  glory  there; 

She  mingled  with  its  gorgeous  dyes 

The  milky  baldric  of  the  skies. 

And  striped  its  pure,  celestial  white 

With  streakings  of  the  morning  light ; 

Then  from  his  mansion  in  the  sun 

She  called  her'eagle  bearer  down, 

And  gave  into  his  mighty  hand 

The  symbol  of  her  chosen  land. 

Majestic  monarch  of  the  cloud  I 

Who  rear'st  aloft  thy  regal  form, 
To' hear  the  tempest-trumpings  loud, 
And  see  the  lightning  lances  driven. 

When  strive  the  warriors  of  the  storm. 
And  rolls  the  thunder-drum  of  heaven  — 
Child  of  the  sun  !  to  thee  't  is  given 

To  guard  the  banner  of  the  free, 
To  hover  in  the  sulphur-smoke, 
To  ward  away  the  battle-stroke, 
And  bid  its  blendings  shine  afar. 
Like  rainbows  on  the  cloud  of  war, 

The  harbingers  of  victory  ! 


304    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Elag  of  the  brave !  thy  folds  shall  fly, 
The  sign  of  hope  and  triumph  high, 
When  speaks  the  signal  trumpet  tone. 
And  the  long  line  comes  gleaming  on  ; 
Ere  yet  the  life-blood,  warm  and  wet, 
Has  dimmed  the  glistening  bayonet, 
Each  soldier  eye  shall  brightly  turn 
To  where  the  sky-born  glories  burn ; 
And,  as  his  springing  steps  advance, 
('atch  war  and  vengeance  from  the  glance  • 
And  when  the  canon-mouthings  loud 
Heave  in  wild  wreaths  the  battle-shroud, 
And  gory  sabres  rise  and  fall. 
Like  shoots  of  flame  on  midnight's  pall, 

Then  shall  thy  meteor-glances  glow. 
And  cowering  foes  shall  fall  beneath 

Each  gallant  arm  that  strikes  below 
That  lovely  messenger  of  death. 

Elag  of  the  seas !  on  ocean  wave 
Thy  stars  shall  glitter  o'er  the  brave. 
When  death,  careering  on  the  gale, 
Sweeps  darkly  round  the  bellied  sail. 
And  frighted  waves  rush  wildly  back. 
Before  the  broadside's  reeling  rack, 
Each  dying  wanderer  of  the  sea 
Shall  look  at  once  to  heaven  and  thee, 
And  smile  to  see  thy  splendors  fly 
In  triumph  o'er  his  closing  eye. 

Flag  of  the  free  heart's  hope  and  home. 

By  angel  hands  to  valor  given ; 
Thy  stars  have  lit  the  welkin  dome, 

And  all  thy  hues  were  born  in  heaven. 


APPENDIX  B  305 

Forever  float  that  standard  slieet ! 

Where  breathes  the  foe  but  falls  before  us  ? 
With  Freedom's  soil  beneath  our  feet, 

And  Freedom's  banner  streaming  o'er  us ! 

Joseph  Rodmax  Dkake 

ABOU  BEX  ADHEM 

Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase  ! ) 
Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 
And  saw  within  the  moonlight  in  his  room, 
Making  it  rich  and  like  a  lily  in  bloom, 
An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold : 
Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold. 
And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 
"  What  writest  thou  ?  "    The  vision  raised  its  head. 
And,  with  a  look  made  of  all  sweet  accord, 
Answered,  "  The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 
"  And  is  mine  one  ?  "  said  Abou.    "  Nay,  not  so," 
Replied  the  angel.    Abou  spoke  more  low, 
But  cheerly  still,  and  said,  "  I  pray  thee,  then. 
Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men." 

The  Angel  wrote  and  vanished.    The  next  night 

It  came  again,  with  a  great  wakening  light, 

And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  blessed  — 

And,  lo !  Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest ! 

Leigh  Hunt 

A  CHRISTMAS  CAROLS 

There 's  a  song  in  the  air ! 
There 's  a  star  in  the  sky ! 
There 's  a  mother's  deep  prayer 
And  a  baby's  low  cry  ! 

^  Used  by  permission  of  Charles  Scribner's  Sons. 


306    LANGUAGE  WORK  IX  ELE:\IENTARY  SCHOOLS 

And  the  star  rains  its  lire  while  the  Beautiful  sing, 
For  the  manger  of  Bethlehem  cradles  a  king. 

There 's  a  tumult  of  joy 
O'er  the  wonderful  birth, 
For  the  virgin's  sweet  boy- 
Is  the  Lord  of  the  earth. 
Ay !  the  star  rains  its  fire  and  the  Beautiful  sing, 
For  the  manger  of  Bethlehem  cradles  a  king ! 

In  the  light  of  that  star 

Lie  the  ages  impearled ; 

And  that  song  afar 

Has  swept  over  the  world. 
Every  hearth  is  aflame,  and  the  Beautiful  sing 
In  the  homes  of  the  nations  that  Jesus  is  king. 

We  rejoice  in  the  light. 

And  we  echo  the  song 

That  comes  down  through  the  night 

From  the  heavenly  throng. 
Ay !  we  shout  to  the  lovely  evangel  they  bring, 
And  we  greet  in  His  cradle  our  Saviour  and  King ! 

JosiAH  G.  Holland 


THE  CHAMBERED  NAUTILUS  i 

This  is  the  ship  of  pearl,  which,  poets  feign, 

Sails  the  unshadowed  main,  — 

The  venturous  bark  that  flings 
On  the  sweet  summer  wind  its  purple  wings 
In  gulfs  enchanted,  where  the  siren  sings. 

And  coral  reefs  lie  bare. 
Where  the  cold  sea-maids  rise  to  sun  their  streaming  hair. 

1  Used  by  permission  of  Houghton  Mifflin  Company. 


APPE>slJlX  B  a07 


Its  webs  of  living  gauze  no  more  unfurl; 

Wrecked  is  the  ship  of  pearl ! 

And  every  chambered  cell, 
"Where  its  dim  dreaming  life  was  wont  to  dwell, 
As  the  frail  tenant  shaped  his  growing  shell, 

Before  thee  lies  revealed,  — 
Its  irised  ceiling  rent,  its  sunless  crypt  unsealed 


Year  after  year  beheld  the  silent  toil 

That  spread  his  lustrous  coil ; 

Still,  as  the  spiral  grew. 
He  left  the  past  year's  dwelling  for  the  new, 
Stole  with  soft  step  its  shining  archway  through, 

Built  up  its  idle  door. 
Stretched  in  his  last-found  home,  and  knew  the  old  no  more. 


Thanks  for  the  heavenly  message  brought  by  thee, 

Child  of  the  wandering  sea, 

Cast  from  her  lap  forlorn ! 
From  thy  dead  lips  a  clearer  note  is  born 
Than  ever  Triton  blew  from  wreathed  horn  ! 

While  on  mine  ear  it  rings. 
Through  the  deep  caves  of  thought  I  hear  a  voice  that  sings:- 


Build  thee  more  stately  mansions,  0  my  soul, 

As  the  swift  seasons  roll ! 

Leave  thy  low-vaulted  past ! 
Let  each  new  temple,  nobler  than  the  last, 
Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast. 

Till  thou  at  length  art  free, 
Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by  life's  unresting  sea ! 

Oliver  Wexdell  Holmes 


a08    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

BUGLE  SONG 

The  splendor  falls  on  castle  walls 

And  snowy  summits  old  in  story ; 
The  long  light  shakes  across  the  lakes, 
And  the  wild  cataract  leaps  in  glory. 
Blow,  bugle,  blow !  set  the  wild  echoes  flying ; 
Blow,  bugle ;  answer,  echoes  —  dying,  dying,  dying ! 

Oh,  hark  !  oh,  hear!  how.  thin  and  clear, 

And  thinner,  clearer,  farther  going ! 
Oh,  sweet  and  far,  from  cliff  and  scar, 
The  horns  of  Elfland  faintly  blowing ! 
Blow,  let  us  hear  the  purple  glens  replying ; 
Blow,  bugle ;  answer,  echoes  —  dying,  dying,  dying ! 

0  love,  they  die  in  yon  rich  sky. 

They  faint  on  hill  or  field  or  river ; 
Our  echoes  roll  from  soul  to  soul. 
And  grow  forever  and  forever. 
Blow,  bugle,  blow !  set  the  wild  echoes  flying ; 
And  answer,  echoes,  answer  —  dying,  dying,  dying ! 

Alfred  Tennyson 


A  WET  SHEET  AND  A  FLOWING  SEA 

A  wet  sheet  and  a  flowing  sea,  — 

A  wind  that  follows  fast, 
And  fills  the  white  and  rustling  sail. 

And  bends  the  gallant  mast  — 
And  bends  the  gallant  mast,  my  boys, 

While,  like  the  eagle  free. 
Away  the  good  ship  flies,  and  leaves 

Old  England  on  the  lee. 


APPENDIX  B  309 

Oh,  for  a  soft  and  gentle  wind ! 

I  heard  a  fair  one  cry  ; 
But  give  to  me  the  snoring  breeze, 

And  white  waves  heaving  high,  — 
And  white  waves  heaving  high,  my  boys, 

The  good  ship  tight  and  free ; 
The  world  of  waters  is  our  home, 

And  merry  men  are  we. 

There 's  tempest  in  yon  horned  moon, 

And  lightning  in  yon  cloud ; 
And  hark  the  music,  mariners  ! 

The  wind  is  piping  loud,  — 
The  wind  is  piping  loud,  my  boys, 

The  lightning  flashing  free ; 
While  the  hollow  oak  our  palace  is, 

Our  heritage  the  sea.  —  Allan  Cunningham 

THE  STATE  OF  MAN 
(From  "  Hemy  VIII  ") 

Earewell !  a  long  farewell,  to  all  my  greatness ! 
This  is  the  state  of  man :  to-day  he  puts  forth 
The  tender  leaves  of  hopes  ;  to-morrow  blossoms. 
And  bears  his  blushing  honors  thick  upon  him ; 
The  third  day  comes  a  frost,  a  killing  frost. 
And  when  he  thinks,  good  easy  man,  full  surely 
His  greatness  is  a-ripening,  nips  his  root. 
And  then  he  falls,  as  I  do.    I  have  ventured. 
Like  little  wanton  boys  that  swim  on  bladders, 
This  many  summers  in  a  sea  of  glory. 
But  far  beyond  my  depth.    My  high-blown  pride 
At  length  broke  under  me,  and  now  has  left  me. 
Weary  and  old  with  service,  to  the  mercy 
Of  a  rude  stream,  that  must  forever  hide  me. 


310    LAKGUAGE  WOKK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Vain  pomp  and  glory  of  this  world,  I  hate  you : 
I  feel  my  heart  new  opened.    0,  how  wretched 
Is  that  poor  man  that  hangs  on  princes'  favors ! 
There  is,  betwixt  that  smile  we  would  aspire  to, 
That  sweet  aspect  of  princes,  and  their  ruin. 
More  pangs  and  fears  than  wars  or  women  have : 
And  when  he  falls,  he  falls  like  Lucifer, 
Never  to  hope  again.  —  William  Shakespeare 

THE  CLOUP 

I  bring  fresh  showers  for  the  thirsting  flowers, 

From  the  seas  and  the  streams ; 
I  bear  light  shade  for  the  leaves  when  laid 

In  their  noonday  dreams. 
From  my  wings  are  shaken  the  dews  that  waken 

The  sweet  buds  every  one,     | 
When  rocked  to  rest  on  their  mother's  breast. 

As  she  dances  about  the  sun. 
I  wield  the  flail  of  the  lashing  hail, 

And  whiten  the  green  plains  under ; 
And  then  again  I  dissolve  it  in  rain ; 

And  laugh  as  I  pass  in  thunder. 

I  sift  the  snow  on  the  mountains  below, 

And  their  great  pines  groan  aghast ; 
And  all  the  night,  't  is  my  pillow  white. 

While  I  sleep  in  the  arms  of  the  blast. 
Sublime  on  the  towers  of  my  skyey  bowers 

Lightning,  my  pilot,  sits  ; 
In  a  cavern  under,  is  fettered  the  thunder ; 

It  struggles  and  howls  at  fits. 
Over  earth  and  ocean,  with  gentle  motion. 

This  pilot  is  guiding  me, 
Lm-ed  by  the  love  of  the  genii  that  move 

In  the  depths  of  the  purple  sea ; 


APPENDIX  B  311 

Over  the  rills,  and  the  crags,  and  the  hills, 

Over  the  lakes  and  the  plains, 
Wherever  he  dream,  under  mountain  or  stream, 

The  spirit  he  loves  remains  ; 
And  I  all  the  while  bask  in  heaven's  blue  smile, 

"Whilst  he  is  dissolving  in  rains. 

Percy  Btsshe  Shelley 


THE  MIXSTREL  BOY 

The  minstrel  boy  to  the  war  is  gone, 

In  the  ranks  of  death  you  '11  find  him ; 
His  father's  sword  he  has  girded  on, 

And  his  wild  harp  slung  behind  him.  — 
"  Land  of  song  !  "  said  the  warrior  bard, 

"  Though  all  the  world  betrays  thee, 
One  sword,  at  least,  thy  rights  shall  guard. 

One  faithful  harp  shall  praise  thee  !  " 

The  minstrel  fell !  —  but  the  f oeman's  chain 

Could  not  bring  his  proud  soul  under ; 
The  harp  he  loved  ne'er  spoke  again, 

For  he  tore  its  chords  asunder, 
And  said,  "  No  chains  shall  sully  thee, 

Thou  soul  of  love  and  bravery ! 
Th}^  songs  were  made  for  the  pure  and  free. 

They  shall  never  sound  in  slavery ! " 

Thomas  Moore 


APRIL  IN  ENGLAND 

Oh,  to  be  in  England 
Now  that  April 's  there. 
And  whoever  wakes  in  England 
Sees,  some  morning,  unaware, 


312    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

That  the  lowest  boughs  and  the  brushwood  sheaf 
Round  the  ehii-tree  bole  are  in  tiny  leaf, 
While  the  chaffinch  sings  on  the  orchard  bough 
In  England  —  now. 

And  after  April,  when  May  follows, 

And  the  whitethroat  builds,  and  all  the  swallows ! 

Hark !  where  my  blossomed  pear-tree  in  the  hedge 

Leans  to  the  field  and  scatters  on  the  clover 

Blossoms  and  dewdrops  —  at  the-  bent  spray's  edge  — 

That 's  the  wise  thrush ;  he  sings  each  song  twice  over, 

Lest  you  should  think  he  never  could  recapture 

The  first  fine  careless  rapture ! 

And  though  the  fields  look  rough  with  hoary  dew, 

All  will  be  gay  when  noontide  wakes  anew 

The  buttercups,  the  little  children's  dower 

—  Far  brighter  than  this  gaudy  melon-flower. 

Robert  Browning 


APPENDIX  C 

(Original  and  Adapted  Dramatizations) 

THE  FLOWER  QUEEN 

A  nature  play  written,  without  assistance,  by  Maiy  Grider  Rodes,  a 
pupil  in  the  sixth  grade  of  the  Training  School,  Western  Kentucky 
State  Normal  School. 

Characters  :  Rose,  Tulip,  Violet,  Xasturtium,  Goldenrod, 

other  Flowers,  and  a  Child. 
Scene  :  A  flower  garden. 

Enter  the  Child  where  Rose,  Violet,  etc.  are  disputing.    She 
hesitates  and  looks  at  them. 

Tulip.    Look!    Look!  \_They  all  look  ~\ 

Nasturtium.    Why  not  let  her  decide  ? 

All.    Yes  !    Yes  ! 

Rose.    Do  you  all  agree  ?    If  you  do,  say  "Aye." 

All.    Aye  !    Aye  !    Aye  ! 

Rose.  \_Addresslng  the  Child]  There  has  been  a  dispute 
among  us  about  who  should  be  queen.  I  have  always  been 
queen,  but  some  of  the  flowers  rebel  and  want  the  Goldenrod 
for  queen. 

Child.    But  why  ? 

Rose.    Because  of  her  color,  I  suppose. 

Goldenrod  axd  Followers.  No!  No,  there  are  other 
reasons. 

Child.  I  don't  know  what  to  do.  Oh,  I  know  !  I  will  choose 
the  flower  I  like  best. 

All.    Who?   Who? 

Child.    The  tender  little  violet. 

All.   No!   No! 

313 


314    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Violet.   No  !   No,  dear  cMld,  I  am  not  suited  for  a  queen. 
Choose  either  the  Rose  or  the  Goldenrod. 

Child.    Well,  I  guess  I  will  choose  the  Rose. 

\_Shouts  ofjoy.'\ 
All.    The  Rose  !    The  Rose  !    Our  Queen ! 
Goldenrod.   False  traitors  !    Good  by. 

\_Leaves  without  notice] 
Violet.   It  is  better  for  us  that  she  is  gone. 
All,    Yes,  it  is  better  that  she  is  gone. 

\_The  Flowers  dayice  around.'] 
Violet.    We  forgot  the  child. 
All.    Yes,  so  we  did,  but  what  shall  we  give  her  ? 
Rose.  Dear  child,  what  would  you  like  to  have  most  of  all  ? 
Child.    I  would  like  to  have  flowers  around  me  all  my  life. 
Rose.   You  shall  have  your  wish.    Farewell ! 

\_They  all  leave.] 

Child.   \_Ruhhing  her  eyes]  Was  I  dreaming  ?    No,  I  know  I 

was  n't.    I  won't  tell  mother  though,  for  she  will  laugh.   There 

she  is  calling.  [Buns  out] 

Curtain. 


THE  LITTLE  FIR  TREE 

An  adapted  play  arranged  and  played  by  third-grade  children,  at 
Pleasant  Grove  School,  a  rural  school  in  Logan  County,  Kentucky,  under 
the  direction  of  Miss  Ida  Rhea  Taylor,  the  teacher. 

Characters:  Fir  Tree,  First  Child,  Second  Child,  Third 
Child,  Gardener's  Boy,  Fir  Tree,  A  Man,  Man,  First 
Lady,  Second  Lady,  Third  Lady,  First  Woodcutter, 
Children,  A  Boy,  Trees,  Rabbit,  Woodcutters,  Swallows, 
Stork,  Sunbeam,  Sparrows,  three  Men,  several  Ladies  and 
Children. 


APPEi^DIX  C  315 

ACT  I 

Scene  I 
Time  :  Spring. 
Scene  :  The  forest. 

A  very  small  child  representing  Fir  Tree  stands  in  center  of  room 
with  arms  extended,  other  Trees  being  grouped  about.  Enter 
First  Child,  Second  Child,  and  Third  Child  carrying  baskets 
of  berries. 

First  Child.    Oh,  is  n't  this  a  lovely  place  ? 

Second  Child.    These  trees  are  so  pretty  and  green. 

Third  Child.  \_Approaching  Fir  Tree]  Is  n't  this  a  pretty 
little  tree  ? 

Fir  Tree.  \_Slghing  discontentedly']  I  am  so  unhappy.  I  do 
not  want  to  be  small.  I  wish  I  were  as  tall  as  the  other  trees. 
The  birds  would  build  their  nests  in  my  boughs. 

Rabbit  enters  and  jumps  over  Fir  Tree. 
Even  the  rabbits  can  jump  over  me.    Oh,  I  am  so  unhappy. 

Curtain. 

Scene  II 

Time  :  Autumn,  two  years  later. 
Scene  :  The  forest. 

Stage  arranged  as  in  Scene  I,  a  large  child  representing  Fir  Tree. 
Enter  Rabbit,  who  tries  to  jump  over  Fir  Tree,  but  finds  he 
has  to  hop  around  it. 

Fir  Tree.  Oh,  to  grow,  to  grow !  To  be  tall  and  old  is  the 
best  thing  in  the  world. 

Enter  First  "Woodcutter  and  other  IVoodciitters. 

First  Woodcutter.  Hurry  men,  cut  the  tallest  ones  and 
trim  off  the  limbs.  £  Woodcutters  obey  and  retire.] 


316    LANGUAGE  WOEK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Stork  and  Swalloivs  enter. 

EiR  Tree.   Do  you  know  where  those  trees  were  taken  ? 

Swallows.   We  don't. 

Stork.  \^Nodd'in{!  head~\  I  think  I  do.  As  I  flew  over  the 
sea,  I  met  many  new  ships,  and  they  had  fine  masts  that 
smelled  like  fir. 

Fir  Tree.    How  I  wish  I  were  tall  enough  to  go  on  the  sea  ! 

\_Swallows  and  Stork  departr^ 

Sunbeam  enters. 

Sunbeam.  Eejoice  in  thy  youth.  Rejoice  in  thy  youth  and 
thy  young  life. 

Ciirtain. 


Scene  III 

Time  :  The  following  Christmas. 
Scene  :  The  forest. 

Stage  arranged  as  before.  Enter  Fir  Tree,  Sunbeam,  Sparrows, 
and  Woodcutters.  They  select  trees  for  their  beauty  and  drag 
them  off  stage. 

EiR  Tree.  Where  are  they  going  ?  They  are  no  taller  than 
I,    And  why  do  they  keep  all  their  branches  ? 

Sparrows.  We  know,  we  know.  We  peeped  in  the  windows 
in  town  and  we  know  where  they  are  going.  They  are  going 
to  be  dressed  with  cakes,  playthings,  and  many  lighted  candles. 

EiR  Tree.    And  what  happens  then  ? 

Sparrows.    [^Flying  away']  We  did  not  see  any  more. 

EiR  Tree.  I  wonder  if  anything  like  that  will  ever  happen 
to  me.  How  I  wish  I  were  in  a  warm  room  in  town !  I  am 
weary  longing  to  go  into  the  world. 

Sunbeam.  Eejoice  in  thy  youth.  Eejoice  in  thy  life  and 
the  fresh  air. 

Curtain. 


APPENDIX  C  317 

ACT  II 

Scene  I 

Time  :  One  year  later,  two  days  before  Christmas. 
Scene  :  Courtyard  iu  a  large  city. 

A  IMan.    I  want  the  prettiest  one  you  have. 
Fir  Tree.    Now  I  've  been  cut  down  and  am  in  the  city.    Oh, 
I  am  so  happy !    But  then  I  do  miss  my  forest  home. 
Man.    [^Unpacking  trees]  Here  is  a  pretty  one. 
A  Man.   Yes,  this  is  the  most  beautiful.    I  will  take  it. 

[^Carries  Fir  Tree  away'^ 
Curtain. 


Scene  II 

Time  :  Christmas  morning. 

Scene  :  In  the  parlor  of  a  wealthy  man. 

Men  enter,  place  the  tree  in  center  of  room,  and  depart.  Enter  First 
Lady,  Second  Lady,  and  Third  Lady  laughing  and  talking. 
They  begin  to  dress  the  tree  with  toys,  candy,  apples,  and 
candles.    At  the  top  they  fasten  a  large  star. 

First  Lady.    Now  it  is  very  beautiful. 
Second  Lady.    Yes,  it  is  done. 
Third  Lady%    Call  the  children. 

[First  Lady  goes  to  door  and  calls  children.'] 
Children.    ^Entering']  Oh !  Oh  !  Oh  ! 

\Joln   hands    and   dance    around    tree,    laughing   and 

singing] 

Fir  Tree.    What  are  they  doing  ?   What  will  happen  next  ? 

[First  Lady  blows  out  candles  and  pretends  to  distribute 

gifts,  after  udtleh  theij  all  depai't.] 

Curtain. 


318    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Scene  III 
Time  :  Next  morning. 
Scene  :  Attic  of  house. 
Fir  Tree  heaped  in  one  corner  among  boxes,  broken  furniture,  etc. 

Fir  Tree.  Oh,  why  did  they  tear  me  down  and  bring  me 
out  of  that  beautiful  room  into  this  dark  place  ?  What  does 
this  mean  ?  What  am  I  to  do  here  ?  I  can  see  and  hear  nothing. 
Oh,  how  I  wish  I  were  back  at  my  forest  home ! 

Curtain. 

ACT  III 

Scene  I 
Time  :  The  next  spring. 
Scene  :  In  the  dump  pile. 

Fir  Tree  discovered  among  tin  cans,  dirty  papers,  and  rags.    Boys 
enter. 

A  Boy.    Oh,  look  at  the  ugly  old  Christmas  tree ! 

[Children  tramp  on  tree.'\ 
Fir  Tree,    Gone !  Gone  is  all  my  happy  life !    Oh,  if  I  had 
only  enjoyed  myself  while  I  could !    But  now  it  is  too  late ! 

Enter  Gardener's  Boy  with  ax. 

Gardener's  Boy.  \_Going  to  tree]  This  will  make  a  fine  fire 
in  our  stove. 

[Boy  chops  tree  into  stove  wood  and  carries  it  off  stage.] 
Fir  Tree.    \_As  Boy  carries  it  off  stage]    Now  my  life  is 
ended.    It  is  too  late  to  enjoy  my  life  now.    Oh,  my  home !  my 
forest  home ! 

Curtain. 


APPENDIX  C  319 

OLD  PIPES  AND  THE  DRYAD 

Written  by  the  children  in  the  fourtli  grade  of  the  Training  Scliool, 
Western  Kentucky  State  Normal  School,  under  the  direction  of  Miss  Flora 
Stallard,  critic  teacher. 

Characters  :  Old  Pipes,  an  old  man  who  pipes  the  cattle  from 
the  mountain;  Old  Pipes'  Mother;  Dryad;  Echo  Dwarf; 
A  Boy;  Boys;  Voice;  Dwarfs;  the  Children;  the  Villagers. 

Time  :  From  May  till  October. 

Scenes  :  The  house  of  an  old  man  at  the  foot  of  a  mountain  near  a 
village ;  the  hillsides  and  forests  near  by. 

ACT  I 

Scene  I 

Scene  :  A  forest  with  a  large  oak  tree  ;  Pipes'  cottage  in  distance. 

Old  Pipes.  \^Alone']  Oh,  I  never  realize  liow  old  I  am  getting 
till  I  make  this  trip  to  the  village  for  my  wages.  It  is  a  great 
deal  easier  to  pipe  the  cattle  from  the  mountains  than  to  bring 
my  money  from  the  village. 

Enter  three  Children, 

Children.    Good  evening,  Pipes. 

Old  Pipes.    Good  evening,  children. 

A  Boy.  You  look  tired.  Should  you  like  for  us  to  help 
you  up  the  hill  ? 

Old  Pipes.  You  are  very  kind.  I  believe  I  will  let  you  help 
me.  \_He  I'lses  slowli/,  and  the  Boys  help  him  along.']  I  hope 
I  have  n't  made  you  children  very  tired. 

Boys.  Oh,  you  would  n't  have  made  us  tired  if  we  had  not 
had  to  go  farther  than  usual  after  the  cattle  to-day. 

\_Givl  makes  signs  with  hands,  lips,  and  head.] 

Old  Pipes.  What  did  you  say  ?  Went  farther  than  usual 
after  the  cattle  ?    Why,  I  pipe  the  cattle  from  the  hills. 

Boys.  Oh,  no ;  you  do  not  pipe  the  cattle  from  the  moun- 
tains.   It 's  been  a  year  since  the  cattle  have  heard  your  pipes. 


320    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

You  're  getting  too  old  now  for  the  cattle  to  hear  your  pipes, 
so  the  villagers  send  us  each  day. 

Old  Pipes.  It  is  getting  late  now,  children.  It  is  time  you 
were  getting  back  to  the  village.  Here  is  a  penny  for  each  of  you. 

Children.  Thank  you,  Old  Pipes,  we  hope  you  will  soon  be 
rested  again.    Good-night. 

[Children  leave.    Old  Pipes  calls  his  mother.'] 

Old  Pipes.    Mother,  did  you  hear  what  those  children  said  ? 
Mother.  \_Enteri7ig'\  What  children  ? 

Old  Pipes.  The  children  that  helped  me  up  the  hill.  They 
said  that  they  had  been  going  after  fhe  cattle  for  over  a  year. 
They  told  me  that  the  cattle  could  n't  hear  my  pipes. 

Mother.    Why,  what  is  the  matter  with  the  cattle  ? 

Old  Pipes.  Nothing  is  the  matter  with  the  cattle.  The 
trouble  is  with  me.  And  as  I  have  not  earned  my  money,  I 
am  going  to  the  village  to  take  it  back. 

Mother.  You  are  very  foolish,  my  son.  We  have  n't  a  bit 
of  money  to  live  on,  and  if  you  take  the  money  back,  we  will 
starve  for  food.  Bring  the  money  back,  Pipes.  The  villagers 
will  not  want  it. 

Old  Pipes.  No,  mother.  I  must  not  keep  the  money.  I  did 
not  earn  it,  so  I  will  take  it  back.  It  would  not  be  honest  to 
keep  it.    I  will  cut  wood  and  so  make  a  living  for  us. 

[Pipes  starts  to  the  village,  hecomes  tired,  sits  nnder  an 
oak  tree  to  rest ;  as  he  sits  ther'e,  a  Voice  is  heard.] 

Voice.    Let  me  out ;  let  me  out. 

Old  Pipes.  [^Jumping  «^>]  I  wonder  where  that  voice  came 
from.  It  came  from  this  tree.  It  must  be  a  "Dryad"  tree. 
Let  me  see,  I  have  heard  of  Dryad  trees.  I  have  heard  that 
when  the  moon  rises  and  before  it  sets,  anyone  that  comes 
along  can  let  her  out.  So  I  will  try  to  find  the  key  and  let  her 
out.  Here  is  a  piece  of  bark.  I  will  try  it  and  see  if  it  will 
unlock  the  door.  [  Unlocks  the  door] 

Dryad.  \^>Slip2)ing  out  of  door  and  gazing  about]  Oh,  how 
beautiful  the  world  is !   It  seems  like  a  fairy  land ;  the  flowers, 


APPENDIX  C  321 

the  moss,  the  green  trees,  the  hills  are  so  beautiful.  Oh,  you 
good  old  man,  how  kind  of  you  to  let  me  out  from  my  tree ! 
What  can  I  do  for  you  to  show  you  how  grateful  I  am ! 

\_Touches  hhn  twice  with  her  tvand^ 
Old  Pipes.    Well,  if  you  are  going  to  the  village,  will  you 
take  this  money  to  the  villagers  for  me  ? 

Dryad.    I  shall  be  glad  to  do  that  for  you,  you  kind  old  man. 
[Pipes  gives  money  to  Dryad,  then  starts  home.'\ 
Curtain. 

Scene  II 

Scene  :  Pipes'  cottage.   Pipes  asleep  near  the  door  on  a  rock. 

Dryad  enters,  holding  money  in  hand. 

Dryad.  Poor,  honest,  old  man,  I  am  going  to  put  this  money 
back  into  his  pocket.  I  am  sure  the  villagers  will  not  take  it, 
for  he  has  worked  for  them  so  long. 

[_She  slips  the  money  in pochet  and  runs  away.  Pipes 
wakens,  starts  indoors,  but  finds  money  in  pocket.^ 
Old  Pipes.  Well,  I  wonder  how  this  money  got  into  my 
pocket!  Why,  I  thought  I  had  seen  a  Dryad  and  asked  her 
to  take  this  to  the  village.  Oh,  I  really  did  not  see  her;  it 
must  have  been  a  dream.  I  will  take  the  money  to-morrow, 
but  I  have  n't  time  now.  I  will  call  mother  and  tell  her  about 
it.    ISTo,  I  won't ;  she  '11  be  cross  and  tell  me  I  am  foolish. 

\_Takes pi2)es  and  begins  to  j) lay'] 
Mother.    \_Coming  out  scolds]  Why,  Pipes,  what  are  you 
playing  for,  if  the  cattle  can't  hear  you  ? 

\_While  playing,  Vipes  finds  his  pipe  much  clearer.] 
Old  Pipes.    Why,  what 's  the  matter  with  my  pipe  ?     It 
must  have  been  stopped  up ! 

The  Dryad  comes  dancing  in. 

Why,  here 's  the  Dryad.  It  was  n't  a  dream,  then,  after  all. 
I  thought  I  had  only  dreamed  I  saw  you  J 


322    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Dryad.  Indeed,  it  was  n't  a  dream.  If  you  could  only  know 
how  happy  I  am  now !  Oh,  the  world  is  so  beautiful  to  me,  I 
dance  and  sing  the  whole  day  long !  And  do  you  not  feel 
stronger  and  better  ? 

Old  Pipes.  Why,  yes,  I  do.  Oh,  I  know,  you  touched  me 
twice  with  your  wand,  and  it  has  made  me  twenty  years 
younger.    Mother,  mother ! 


ACT  II    ■ 

Time  ;  Evening. 

Scene  :  A  glen  in  the  mountains. 

Ecno  Dwarf  is  sleeping.  Pipes  of  Old  Pipes  are  heard.  Sleep- 
ing DwAKF  echoes  pipes.  Very  angry  he  starts  in  search  of 
Old  Pipes. 

Dryad  enters. 

Dwarf.  Ho !  Ho !  What  are  you  doing  here  ?  How  did 
you  get  out  of  your  tree  ? 

Dryad.  Why,  a  kind  old  man  let  me  out,  and  I  was  so 
glad  that  I  gave  him  two  strokes  with  my  wand,  which  made 
him  twenty  years  younger.   Now  he  can  call  the  cattle  again. 

Dwarf.  So  you  are  the  one  who  has  brought  this  trouble 
on  me !  What  have  I  ever  done  to  you  that  you  should 
make   me   echo   those   dreadful   pipes   again  ? 

Dryad.  What  a  funny  little  fellow  you  are !  Anyone 
would  think  you  had  to  work  from  morning  till  night.  You 
are  lazy  and  selfish.  Learn  to  do  good,  and  then  you  will  be 
happy.    Good-by.  \_Leaves'\ 

Dwarf.    \_ShaMng  his  fist]  I  '11  make  you  suffer  for  this ! 

Old  Pipes.  \_Entering'\  Hello,  little  fellow.  What  are  you 
doing  here  ? 

Dwarf.    I  am  looking  for  the  Dryad. 

Old  Pipes.    Why,  so  am  I. 

Dwarf.   What  do  you  want  with  her  ? 


APPENDIX  C  323 

Old  Pipes.  Let  me  tell  you  what  she  did  for  me.  As  I 
was  going  down  to  the  village,  I  found  a  Dryad  tree  and  let 
out  the  Dryad.  She  was  so  glad  that  she  touched  me  twice 
with  her  wand  and  made  me  twenty  years  younger.  IS^ow  I 
can  blow  my  pipes  again.  I  am  now  looking  for  her  to  ask  if 
she  will  make  my  mother  younger. 

Dwarf.  I  will  go  with  you,  but  do  you  know  that  a  Dryad 
can  only  make  the  person  younger  who  lets  her  out  of  her 
tree,  so  you  will  have  to  shut  the  Dryad  in,  then  have  your 
mother  let  her  out. 

-Dryad  comes  in ;  Dwarf  hides. 

Old  Pipes.  I  have  been  looking  for  you  to  ask  you  to  go 
back  into  your  tree  so  that  my  mother  may  let  you  out,  and 
you  may  make  her  younger,  she  seems  so  old  and  feeble  to 
me  now. 

Dryad.  Why,  it  is  n't  necessary  for  me  to  go  into  my  tree 
to  do  that.  Any  time  she  is  out  of  doors  I  shall  be  glad  to  help 
her.    Did  you  think  of  that  plan  yourself  ? 

Old  Pipes.    Ko,  a  little  dwarf  I  met  suggested  it  to  me. 

Dryad.  A  little  dwarf.  Oh,  I  see  it  all  now.  He  is  the 
Echo  Dwarf,  and  he  is  angry  with  you  and  me.  "Where  is  he  ? 
Here  he  is  now.  Let 's  put  him  into  the  tree  till  he  learns  to 
be  better.  \_They  drag  out  Dwarf  and  jnd  him  into  tree.'] 

Dryad.   Now,  let 's  go  and  find  your  mother. 

Old  Pipes.    Why,  there  she  is  now ! 

[^Tijotoeing   up,    Dryad    touches   her    twice   ivith    her 

ivand  and  runs  away.] 

Old  Pipes.   Mother !  [Mother  starts,  much  surprised.] 

Mother.  Why,  Pipes,  how  well  I  hear  your  voice.  And  I 
feel  quite  young. 

Old  Pipes.    Then  come,  let 's  enjoy  a  walk  together. 

Curtain. 


324    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

ACT  III 

Dryad  comes  shivering  to  her  tree,  opens  the  door,  and  calls 
the  Dwarf  out. 
Dryad.    Come  out,  little  Dwarf,  the  cattle  have  come  from 
the  mountains  for  the  last  time,  so  you  are  free. 

\_As  she  enters  the  tree  she  sings'] 
Curtain. 

A  GEOGRAPHICAL  PLAY 

An  original  play,  prepared  by  the  fourth-grade  pupils  in  the  Training 
School  of  the  Western  Kentucky  State  Normal  School,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Miss  Nell  Moorman,  critic  teacher. 

ACT  I 

Characters  :  A  Native,  Ahmow,  Eskimo  Father,  A  Traveler, 
An  Eskimo,  Eskimos,  Another  Traveler,  Travelers  and 
Natives. 

Scene  :  Home  of  Eskimos.   Natives  hunting  seals  with  spears. 

A  Native.    It  is  very  hard  to  find  any  seals  to-day. 

Ahmow.  Father,  we  shall  soon  starve  if  we  do  not  find 
some  seal. 

Eskimo  Father.  Yes,  and  the  snow  blinds  us  so  that  we 
can  find  no  game. 

Ahmow.    Oh,  father,  who  are  those  strange  men  coming  ? 

Travelers  approach. 

Eskimos.  Welcome,  welcome,  strangers !  Where  are  you 
from  and  why   do  you  come  here  ? 

A  Traveler.  We  have  come  from  afar  to  see  your  country, 
which  is  a  very  beautiful  one,  but  it  is  always  so  cold. 

An  Eskimo.    Yes,  it  is  very  cold  most  of  the  year. 

Another  Traveler.    How  do  you  keep  warm  ? 

An  Eskimo.  We  wear  clothing  made  of  fur.  Our  houses 
are  made  of  ice  with  a  long  tunnel  leading  to  the  door.  You 
would  not  think  they  are  warm,  but  they  are.    We  heat  them 


APPEKDIX  C  325 

with  a  lamp  whicli  burns  whale  oil.    Our  food  is  meat  and  we 
drink  whale  oil,  both  of  which  is  diet  for  a  cold  climate. 

A  Traveler.  I  see  you  have  been  hunting  seals ;  do  you 
have  many  animals  here  ? 

An  Eskimo.  Yes,  we  have  been  hunting  seals  all  morning, 
but  have  caught  very  few.  We  have  reindeer,  dogs,  polar 
bears,  and  walruses  here. 

A  Traveler.    Do  you  travel  on  foot  ? 

An  Eskimo.  We  travel  on.  sleds  pulled  by  dogs  when  we 
go  any  distance. 

A  Traveler.    You  seem  to  have  very  few  plants  here. 

An  Eskimo.  It  is  too  cold  for  anything  except  small  bushes 
and  moss  to  grow. 

A  Traveler.  I  enjoy  hearing  about  your  country,  but  it  is 
so  Cold  that  we  must  return  to  our  own  country  before  winter. 

All  Travelers.    Good-by,  Eskimos. 

Eskimos.    Good-by,  come  back  to  visit  our  country  again. 
Curtain. 

ACT  II 

Characters  :     An    Arab,    Sheik,    Hassan,    First    Traveler, 

Second  Traveler,  Third  Traveler. 
Scene  :  Sahara  Desert. 

First  Traveler.  The  heat  is  so  unbearable  we  cannot 
travel  much  farther.    The  sand  has  nearly  put  out  my  eyes. 

Second  Traveler.  Take  courage,  friend,  is  that  not  an 
oasis  yonder  where  I  see  those  trees  ? 

First  Traveler.  Yes,  oh,  yes,  and  I  see  some  Arabs 
camping  there.  [^Travelers  approach  oasis.'\ 

Sheik.  Welcome,  travelers !  alight  from  your  camels  and 
rest  with  us  for  a  while. 

First  Traveler.  Thank  you,  Sheik,  for  your  hospitality. 
We  have  traveled  far.    Can  you  tell  us  where  we  are  ? 

Sheik.  You  are  nearing  the  edge  of  the  great  Sahara 
Desert,  which  is  in  the  torrid  zone. 


326    LA:N^GUAGE  WOKK  IX  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 

Second  Traveler.  We  are  strangers  in  this  land,  having 
come  from  the  far  north.  We  should  like  to  hear  about  3'our 
country.    Tell  us  about  your  plants. 

Sheik.  There  are  very  few  plants  here  in  the  desert,  but 
where  the  rain  falls  in  this  zone,  we  have  trees,  vines,  and 
plants,  which  grow  so  thickly  that  the  forest  becomes  a 
jungle. 

First  Traveler.    What  do  your  people  eat  mostly  ? 

Sheik.  We  eat  bread,  dates,  fruits  of  other  kinds,  cheese, 
and  milk. 

Third  Traveler.  The  camel  seems  to  be  your  chief  means 
of  transportation.  Do  many  other  animals  make  their  home 
in  this  zone  ? 

An  Arab.  I  have  journeyed  to  the  countries  south  of  here 
where  they  have  much  rain,  and  there  they  have  plants  and 
animals  of  huge  size.  The  elephant,  rhinoceros,  hippopotamus, 
zebra,  lion,  tiger,  and  alligator  all  live  there. 

First  Traveler.    Tell  us  more  about  these  animals. 

An  Arab.  So  many  of  these  large  animals  live  there  that 
it  is  dangerous  to  enter  the  jungle.  They  also  have  many 
birds  of  beautiful  colors. 

Second  Traveler.  And  the  homes  —  what  kind  of  houses 
do  they  live  in  there  ? 

An  Arab.  Their  houses  are  usually  small  straw  huts,  for 
they  need  protection  only  from  the  heat  and  rain. 

First  Traveler.    What  is  that  sound  I  hear  ? 

Sheik.  It  is  only  the  women  grinding  the  grain  for  the 
evening  meal.    Should  you  like  to  see  them  ? 

Travelers.   W^e  should,  indeed. 

\^An  walk  over  near  the  Women  at  work'] 

Sheik.  They  grind  it,  as  you  see,  between  two  smooth 
stones.    The  grain  is  put  in  at  the  top  here. 

Third  Traveler.   And  how  do  they  bake  the  bread  ? 

Sheik.    On  a  flat  stone  over  the  fire. 

First  Traveler.    What  is  that  woman  doing  ? 


APPENDIX  C  327 

Sheik.  She  is  making  butter.  It  is  about  time  for  the 
evening  meal.    Let 's  get  ready  for  it.  [^All  retire.'] 

Curtain. 

ACT  III 

Characters  :  Japanese  travelers,  and  natives  of  United  States. 
Scene  :  North  temperate  zone. 

First  Traveler.  ^Ye  are  lost ;  will  you  tell  us  where 
we  are  ? 

First  American  :  You  are  in  the  United  States,  which  lies 
in  the  north  temperate  zone. 

Second  Traveler.  What  big  houses !  Are  they  all  like 
these  here  ? 

First  American.  Xo,  some  are  much  smaller.  They  are 
made  of  wood,  stone,  and  brick. 

First  Traveler.  Tell  us  some  of  the  things  that  grow  in 
your  country. 

Second  American.  We  grow  crops  of  all  kinds  that  suit 
this  climate,  such  as  wheat,  corn,  tobacco,  cotton,  and  fruits  of 
many  kinds.    We  also  have  large  forests. 

Second  Traveler.  Your  dress  is  very  different  from  ours. 
Of  what  is  your  clothing  made  ? 

Third  American.  Our  clothes  are  made  of  cotton,  silk, 
linen,  and  wool.  Cotton  is  grown  in  our  southern  states  ;  wool 
we  get  from  sheep ;  linen  is  made  from  flax,  which  is  a  plant. 
Y^ou  know  more  about  silk  than  we  do. 

Third  Traveler.    Tell  us  about  your  climate. 

First  American.  We  have  a  temperate  climate,  with  mod- 
erately cold  winters  and  moderately  warm  summers. 

First  Traa'eler.    I  like  3'our  country. 

Second  Traveler.  Come  to  see  us  in  our  home  in  Japan 
sometime. 

All  Travelers.  Good-by !  Three  cheers  for  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  !  [All  retire.'] 

Curtain. 


INDEX 


^sop's  fables,  31,39, 60, 08, 86, 92 
Agriculture,  correlated  with  lan- 
guage, 28,  62,  171,  173,  196, 
199  ;  in  rural  schools,  225, 227, 
229,  231,  232  ;  books  on,  239- 
240 
Allingham,  William,  poem  of,  287 
Alternation  in  rural-school  lan- 
guage classes,   218,   219,  220, 

991     999    99S 

-wX,      --_,      .--'J 

Andersen,  Hans,  stories  of,  31, 
60,  86 

Animal  stories,  86,  129 

Antonyms,  165,  188 

Arabian  Nights,  86 

Argument,  88, 107-108, 118, 129, 
140,  154,  161,  175,  185,  207 ; 
current  events  in, 150 ;  in  rural 
schools,  232-233 

Arithmetic,  correlated  with  lan- 
guage, 187 

"  Baa,  Baa,  Black  Sheep  "  drama- 
tized, 39-40 

Babcock  milk  test,  237 

Bible  stories,  60,  86,  105,  107, 
129,  151,  172 

Biography,  stories  of,  128,  138 ; 
outlines  of,  163 

Bonheur,  Rosa,  27,  29 

Book  reviews,  149,  195 

Books  of  reference,  102, 127, 170; 
for  rural  schools,  239-241 

Boys'  corn  clubs,  228,  237 


Brooks,  Phillips,  poem  of,  290 
Browning,  Robert,  poems  of,  284, 

311 
Bryant,  W.  C,  poems  of,  299, 301 
Butts,  Mary  F.,  poem  of,  295 

Capitalization,  51,  53, 79, 99, 124, 
145,  167,  189 

Carlyle,  Thomas,  poem  of,  295 

Character  description,  131,  152 

Character  revealed  by  language,  4 

Characters  in  literature,  study 
of,  131 

Chubb,  Percival,  quoted,  7,  126, 
190 

Civics,  correlated  with  language, 
57 

Classes,  language,  in  rural  schools, 
218  ff 

Coleridge,  S.  T.,  quoted,  235 ; 
poem  of,  281 

Composition  work,  written  (see 
outlines  at  beginning  of  each 
grade) ;  conduct  of,  45-47, 72- 
76,  93  ff.,  114  ff.,  136  ff.,  157  ff., 
180  ff.,  202  ff. ;  in  rural  schools, 
227-237;  books  on,  252;  oral 
(see  Oral  language  work) 

Conscience,  a  language,  11,  82 

Conversation  exercises,  25-27, 
57-58,  73,  83  ;  in  rural  schools, 
227-228 

Cooperative  letter,  137,  160, 183, 
205 


329 


330    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


Copying  work,  45,  51,  76,  78,  97, 
122,  141 

Cornwall,  Barry,  poem  of,  300 

Correction,  of  mistakes  in  lan- 
guage, 10,  11,  24,  26,  56,  58, 
70,  73,  76,  92,  97, 115, 136, 148, 
180 ;  system  of,  in  written 
work,  93-94,  136,  158,  182 

Correlation,  8.  See  Physiology, 
History,  etc. 

Correspondence  of  children  di- 
rected by  teacher,  95, 117, 137, 
160,  204 

Cunningham,  Allan,  poem  of,  309 

Current  events,  150 ;  in  argu- 
ments, 150 

Debates,  199,  207.  See  Argument 
Debating  society,  17,  18,  199 
Derivation,  165,  187,  209 
Description,  58,  63,  73-76,  87, 97, 

110,  118,  139,  152,  160,  174, 

184,  197,  205 ;  in  rural  schools, 

229 
Desk  work,  48-53,  78-79 
Diagramming,  16,  212 
Diary,  140,  162,  185,  207 
Dictation,  48,  77,  97,  122,  141, 

163,   186,  208,  211;    material 

for,  262 
Dictionary,  use  of,  15,  123,  142- 

144,  148,  164,  186,  209,  255, 

262 
Domestic  science,  correlated  with 

language,  28, 171, 196 ;  in  rural 

schools,  225  ;  books  on,  241 
Drake,  J.  E,.,  poem  of,  303 
Dramatization,  36-42,  60,  67-70, 

90-92, 112,  134,  157, 178,  201; 

spontaneous,   91,   113 ;    books 

on,  251,  257 
Drawings,  60,  79,  206 


Eliot,  Charles  W.,  quoted,  2 
English  grammar.  See  Grammar 
English    language,    history    of, 

188,  210 
Envelopes,  addressing  of,  118, 137 
Exposition,    58,    63,    73-76,    87, 

96,  97, 110,  119,  131,  139,  153, 

161,    175,    184,   198,  206;    in 

rural  schools,  230-232 

Farmers'  bulletins,  226,  241-244 
Field,  Eugene,  poems  of,  279,  282 
Folk  tales,  31,  60,  68,  86 
Formality  in  language  work,  6,  57 

Games,  language,  42-45,  70-72, 

92 
Geography,  correlated  with  lan- 
guage, 8,  57, 103, 105, 127, 129, 
149,  152,  171,  173,  195,  207; 
dramatizations  in,  201 
Girls'  canning  clubs,  228 
Grammar,  English,  124, 146, 167, 
170,  189-191,  194,  211-213; 
books  on,  254 
Grand-opera  stories,  86 
Grimms'  tales,  31,  39,  60,  86 

Harris,  Joel  Chandler,  stories  of, 

86 
Hawthorne,  Nathaniel,   descrip- 
tions of,  153 
Hectograph  work,  48 
History,     correlated    with     lan- 
guage, 8,  57,  90,  127,  129, 149, 
151,  153,  171,  173,  195,  197, 
207;    dramatizations  in,  178, 
201 
Hogg,  James,  poem  of,  286 
Holland,  J.  G.,  poem  of,  305 
Holmes,  O.  W.,  poem  of,  306 
Homer,  Odyssey  of,  129,  197 


INDEX 


331 


Homonyms,  145,  16i,  188,  209 
Houghton,  Lord,  poem  of,  277 
Howell,  James,  quoted,  15 
Hunt,  Leigh,  poem  of,  305 
Hymns,  memorized,  111,  155 

Illustrations      for      composition 

work,  60,  79,  159,  206 
Imagination,    in    diagramming, 

16  ;  in  story-telling,  30,  87, 105, 

106, 160  ;  in  study  of  poetry,  31 
Imitation  in  language,  5, 10, 11, 13 
Impersonation    in    story-telling, 

105,  106 
Impromptu  debates,  199 
Impromptu  written  composition, 

159,  204 
Indian  life,  stories  of,  31 
Interest  in  language  work,  9.  See 

Motivation 
Irving,     Washington,      extracts 

from,  in  memorizing  prose,  155 

Jackson,  H.  H.,  poem  of,  291 

King  Arthur,  stories  of,  151 
Kingsley,  Charles,  poems  of,  289, 

298 
Kipling,  Rudyard,  stories  of,  86 

Landseer,  Edwin,  27,  29 

Language,  and  thought,  3,  114, 
126  ;  reveals  character,  4  ;  ob- 
servation of,  11,211;  of  teacher, 
13  ;  games,  42-45,  70-72,  92  ; 
classes  in  rural  schools,  218- 
224 

Language  work,  in  past,  1,  76 ; 
importance  of,  2,  3,  4  ;  purpose 
of,  5  ;  formality  in,  6  ;  relation 
of,  to  other  subjects,  8  ;  motiva- 
tion of,  9,  17,  135,  138,  148 ; 


correction  of  mistakes  in  {see 

Correction);     purpose    of,    in 

rural  schools,  224 
Lear,  Edward,  poem  of,  287 
Lecture,  reported,  172 
Letter,    cooperative,     137,    160, 

183,  205 
Letter  cards,  46,  50-53,  72,  78 ; 

sheets  of,  50 
Letter-writing,  9,  14,  73,  82,  95, 

116,  117,  137,  159,  160,  183, 

204 ;  books  on,  253,  262 
Library,    school,    103,    127 ;     in 

rural  schools,  226,  237-246 
"  Lion    and    the    Mouse,    The," 

plan  for  studying,  31 
Literary  society,  17,  226,  232 
"Little    Boy    Blue,"    plan    for 

memorizing,  36  ;    dramatized, 

40-42 
"Little  Red  Riding-hood,"  jilan 

for  studying,  61 
Long,    William    J.,    stories    of, 

86 
Longfellow,  H.  W.,  poem  of,  296 

Magazine  articles  reviewed,  150, 

195 
Memorizing  work,  32-36,  64-66, 

88,   111,    119,   132,    155,  17(), 

200 ;  in  rural  schools,  233-23() ; 

books  on,  251 ;    material  for, 

260-262,  265-312 
Memory  gems  in  rural  schools, 

235.    See  Memorizing  work 
Meter,  studied,  162,  185 
]\Iilton,  quoted,  235 
Models,    taken    from  literature, 

study  of,  159,  161,  170,  174, 

175,  178,    180,   185,    202;    of 

letters,  183,  204 
Moore,  Thomas,  poem  of,  311 


332    LANGUAGE  WORK  IN  ELEMENTARY  SCHOOLS 


Mother  Goose  rimes,  27,  31,  3-4, 

39  ;  quoted,  272-274,  278 
Motivation  in  language  work,  9, 

17, 135, 138, 148, 160, 170, 173, 

197,  205 
Mythological  stories,  31,  60,  86, 

128,  151,  172 

Narration,  58,  62,  73-76,  87,  96, 
109,  118,  130,  138,  151,  160, 
172-174,  183,  197,  205;  in 
rural  schools,  228 

Nature  study,  correlated  with 
language,  28,  62,  85,  87,  110, 
127,  149,  155,  195,  196,  229, 
231,  232;  books  on,  240 

Newspaper  articles,  reviewing 
of,  150,  195 

Observation  of  language,  11,  211 

Observation  lessons  and  reports, 
28,  29,  58,  83,  95,  96, 103, 127, 
149,  195 ;  in  rural  schools,  236 

Opening  exercises,  105, 133, 150, 
196 

Oral  language  work,  7,  24 ;  im- 
portance of,  56,  82,  87, 102, 126 
(see  outlines  at  beginning  of 
each  grade) ;  in  rural  schools, 
227-237 

Original  plays,  112, 134, 157,178, 
202 

Original  stories,  29, 62,  76,  85, 97, 
106,  128,  138,  151,  160,  172, 
183,  197,  205 

Outlines,  of  lessons,  to  be  mem- 
orized, 132  ;  in  argument,  140, 
185,  199,  207;  of  books,  for 
review,  149  ;  for  oral  composi- 
tions, 154,  157,  162,  170,  171, 
172,  175,  180,  185,  196,  199, 
207;  of  reading  lessons,  163; 


of  biographies,  163;  of  maga- 
zine and  newspaper  articles, 
207  ;  in  rural  schools,  237 

Paper,  school,  17,  18,  203,  204 

Paragraph,  one,  as  imit,  82, 116 

Paragraphs,  one,  two,  or  three, 
in  compositions,  136 

Parsing,  16,  17,  212 

Physiology,  correlated  with  lan- 
guage, 8,  31,  57,  127,  149, 171, 
187,-  195 

Pictures,  27,  29,  46,  59,  63,  64, 72, 
85,  87,  97,  106,  110,  130,  153, 
198,  219,  228,  229;  lists  of, 
263 ;  original,  illustrating  writ- 
ten compositions,  159 

Play  element  in  language  work. 
See  Language  games 

Plays.    See  Dramatization 

Poems,  interpreted,  206 ;  in  rural 
schools,  226 ;  dramatized  {see 
Dramatization) ;  memorized 
(see  Memorizing  work) 

Poetry,  study  of.  See  Memoriz- 
ing work 

Prefixes,  144,  165,  187,  209 

Principle  and  practice,  connected, 
12, 211 

Prose  selections,  memorized,  132, 
133,  134,  155,  156,  176,  178, 
200 ;  interpreted,  206 

Psalms,  memorized.  111,  131, 
133,  155,  176,  200 

Punctuation,  53,  79,  124,  145, 
167,  189 

"  Rain,  The,"  plan  for  memoriz- 
ing, 36 
Rands,  Benjamin,  poem  of,  283 
Reading   lessons,    dramatization 
pf,  39,  113,  135,  157,  178 


INDEX 


333 


Recitation  by  topics,  84, 103, 127, 
149,  171,  195 

Reconstructed  stories,  105,  151, 
160,  172 

Reference,  books  of,  102,  127 

Reviews,  of  books,  149  ;  of  mag- 
azine and  newspaper  articles, 
150  ;  of  current  events,  150 

Rhythm,  natural  feeling  for,  120 

Robin  Hood,  129,  134 

Rossetti,  Christina,  poems  of, 
284,  286 

Riiral-school  language  work,  dif- 
ficulties in,  217,  218 ;  classes 
in,  218  ff. ;  correlation  in,  with 
other  subjects,  224 

Ruskin,  John,  85,  153 

School  gardens,  226 

School  library.    See  Library 

School  paper,  17,  18,  203,  204 

Scott,  Walter,  poem  of,  302 

Script,  46 

Sermon,  reported,  172 

Seton,  Ernest  Thompson,  stories 

of,  86 
Shakespeare,  William,  197;  poem 

of,  309 
Shelley,  Percy  Bysshe,  poem  of, 

310 
"Shepherd    Boy,    The,"    drama- 
tized, 69-70 
Spontaneous  dramatics,  91,  113 
Standards   of    achievement,  18, 

19 
Stedman,  E.  C,  poem  of,  290 
Stencil  work,  63,  79 
Stevenson,  R.  L.,  33  ;  poems  of, 

274,  275,  276,  278,  280,  281, 

282 


Stories,  kinds  of.     See  Story-tell- 
ing 
Story,  structure  of,  studied,  128 
Story-telling,  29-32,  59-61,  85- 
86,    104-106,  128;    books  on, 
250  ;  material  for,  258-260 
Suffixes,  145,  166,  187,  209 
Supplementary  readers  for  rural 

schools,  237,  244-248 
Synonyms,  165,  188,  209 

Talks  from  outlines  (see  Out- 
lines); in  rural  schools,  237 

Teacher,  language  of,  13 

Tennyson,  Alfred,  poems  of,  276, 
284,  293,  308 

Thought,  relation  of,  to  language, 
3,4 

Topics,  recitation  by.  See  Recita- 
tion by  topics 

Yerse-writing,  119-122, 140, 162, 
185, 207 ;  in  rural  schools,  236  ; 
books  discussing,  255 

Yirgil,  iEneid  of,  197 

Vocabulary  work,  15,  79,  98, 
123, 142-144, 148, 164-166, 209 

Word  cards,  46,  48-50 

Word  study,  144-145,  164-166, 
187,  209  ^ 

Words,  importance  of,  15 

Wordsworth,  William,  poem  of, 
292 

Written  composition  work,  con- 
duct of,  4.3-47,  72-76,  93  ff., 
114  ff.,  136  ff.,  157  ff.,  ISO  ff., 
202  ff. ;  in  rural  schools,  227- 
237.  See  outlines  at  beginning 
of  each  grade 


ANNOUNCEMENTS 


MINIMUM   ESSENTIALS 

Sheets  of  Graded  Questions  in  Arithmetic,  Language,  and  Geography 
By  Thomas  E.  Thompson 


Mr.  TTiompson  has  rendered  to  the  world  as  well  as  to  the 
profession  a  distinct  and  large  service,  and  what  he  has  done  is 
no  fad  or  freak  or  foible. — Dr.  A.  E  Winship,  Editor  of  the 
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Within  the  short  time  since  publication  it  has  been  widely  intro- 
duced in  schools  throughout  the  country,  and  everywhere  with  emi- 
nently satisfactory  results.  Its  use  has  meant  not  only  increased 
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"  Minimum  Essentials "  at  present  comprises  a  set  of  sheets  in 
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